New Blog

Is found here.

Hey Folks.

Well, that was fun, thanks for coming along for the ride, I hope you enjoyed reading me complain and what not. If you're reading this, HELLO!

I think I'll start and new blog, it will be fun, drop and say hello, I'll post a link.

Ciao.

Home.

I am home, and it is fantastic. I feel like a kid on summer vacation, which makes no sense since I haven't been to school in almost a year and haven't worked since December. Oh well.

I miss you all and hope to catch up soon, and then maintain this need to see eachother.

If you are free I want to do something! Call me! 347-0875, and we will make plans, if I'm not there, leave a message! Seriously!

I don't really have much else to say, the rest can be saved for soon.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow is thirty two hours long, but I'm sure it will feel longer.

I tomorrow I will fly across the Atlantic at an absurd speed and height (and cost), and eat cute, fake tasting, pre-packaged meals whilst travelling at this absurd height and speed.

Tomorrow, something odd will happen: one of the things I want most happen, will indeed, happen. I will be home. I will see the faces of the ones I love, breathe their air and share their mind.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Paris

Well, right now I am sitting at a computer in my hostel drinking a reasonably priced Heineken.

For roughly 14 hours straight today I was doing one of 4 things:
1-Walking
2-Riding a train or metro
3-Climbing stairs
4-Looking at art

I am exhausted, but I managed to do pretty much all the super touristy things.

There should be more to write, but my brain is turning off. I will not sleep tonight, no, I think I will pass into a coma, and I'm alright with that. There are a few museums I'm going to try and do tomorrow, but any suggestions from anyone?

Also, I need a little help or ideas as to things that are cool and french. Not baggetes though, god hates baggettes.

I will be home in somewhere around 60ish hours. Wee. Sleep.

Sigh.

I turned right when I was supposed to go right...well there goes one day. I realized my mistake about 3 or so hours after I left and had put even more miles in between me and my desired desitination. Oh well. It got well over 30 degrees today and was stupidly muggy. Not a total waste of a day though, I found this awesome garden dealie, and found out that a lot of stores and resteraunts don´t open on Saturday, I have no clue why.

Uh yea... I was bored and my tv isn´t working at the now, and the interent makes me feel connected, so here I am.

In deviant art related news: A random guy gave my musical taste a 7.2 out of 10, I watch around 150 people, and in two months those 150 people have submitted almost 2000 peices of art, that I have yet to check, some girl from Romania thinks I´m cute, I somehow reached 3100 page views and Bisento still has better music than me. Damnit! (Bisento is a fellow music forum junkie from Australia who is incredibly awesome).

Yes, that is what I´ve resorted to talking about, Brussels is boring, and the bar could not seem less apealling right now.

This internet place (which is underground!) smells like Shawns old apartment, and is making me homesick, five days though! It will be good to talk again.µ

Saturday.

I would like to start by giving an over sized birthday shout out to my sister. Shes going to the science center and Im really jealous.

Whose coming to the science center with me?

For some reason Brussels is giving me bad vibes, or those are just my brain making bad vibes because itll make home seem that much better, it sounds weird but something my brain would totally do.

There are apparently more than a dozen museums and galleries in Brussels, I will maybe see five, and Im okay with that.

Instead of doing some scouting out of my surroundings or anything last night I watched the Talented Mr. Ripley. Holy crap I cant believe Ive never seen it before. That makes two really good movies in which people impersonate Jude Laws character. If you`ve never seen this movie or Gattica, I highly suggest both.

Thursday.

I cant find the apostrophy key!

DUDES! What do you in Brussels!? I have no clue!

Well now thats out of the way, how is everyone?

I am currently in Brussels, Belgium. Ive been here for roughtly 2 hours and am waiting to get into my hotel room, yes! My own room! And I dont have to leave tomorrow!

As far as languages go here there is a mixture of German, Dutch, Belgian French and broken English. It is very hard to know what to expect, and it rather confusing.

Seeing as how I have two entire days to do whatever in this city Im going to sleeeeep and enjoy my own space today, and have to worry about a dozen people coming in and out of my dorm room wanting to shower at ungodly hours. And my motivation is kind of running out, and Im getting more and more tierd by the day, and I need to be fresh for Paris, I have two and half days to do everything there, and buy stuff!

Well its time to eat and hopefully figure out some worth while things to do in this city.

HOT.

Hello folkses, how are we today? Good I hopes.

Well, I´m killing a day in Antwerp, and it shall be grand.

After a very long time I actually found my hostel, but that just made me appreciate it more and relish the shower, best one of my life.

I will be heading across the Atlantic once again [this will trans-atlantic flight number 4 in 4 months] in about a week, thats soon! But I miss ye all, and will glad to see you all again.

I am currently on listen number three of The Reminder! Weee! I have fallen in love with Feist all over again and now I definitely can´t wait the 3 and a half weeks till the concert! It is a HOT record.

Stephanie Campbell if you are reading this I have found your Belgian Counterpart. Seriously, it´s actually kind of scary.

I think I have dreamed of my hostel before, it´s painfully familiar.

As you can tell, I really don´t have much of substance to write just little thoughts.

That´s all for now, I think I´m going to catch up on some Brother hood 2.0, I´m a little behind.

I feel like a turtle

I´m in Antwerp, Belgium! Holy Crap! I didn´t even know this place existed a few days ago! But I bet the 461,000 people who live here did. I´m here waiting to go to Brussels and Paris. I really do have to wait, both of those cities are prqctically full, from a hostellers point of view anyways. And because of my wonderful father, I actually have places to stay. I owe him much.

Anyways.

In regards to amsterdam. I did a lot of complaining, but that was just me being a pity whore. But I´m in a much better mood now mostly because I can actually breathe through my nose again. I enjoyed amsterdam, but if I were to go back I would go with someone else.

The keyboards here are the weirdest I´ve encountered thus far. They are seriously messed up man. SERIOUSLY.

Well I´m off back into the sun and heat to hopefully find my hostel, and pray it´s not too far away.

This would normally becoming a lot later, but I need to look up the name of my hostel and was going to be paying for half an hour anyways.

S-s-s-something from the comments. Vapid [Aweome! I got to use the word vapid! I don´t even know if I´m using it right!] rumours have been flying about it being jesus who said it was a sad life. I don´t think this is true because he said it in Dutch first andwas smoking. I think we can all agree that Jesus is in fact not Dutch nor a smoker. CRISIS AVERTED.

I want to weigh my backpacks see how much weight I´m charting around.

Cioa.

Casiotones for the painfully alone.

Every step actually hurts and on the way back to the hostel a guy came up beside me and said,
'It's a sad life.'

Amsterdam.

The people who come here and live here like to party or smoke. I don't do either and starting doesn't either doesn't really appeal to me, also the only parties are pub crawls, and from what I've heard aren't that much fun, it's really just 40 overly drunk guys running around listening to shitty music.

So yea, my eta in Regina is getting bumped up again to the second or third. I'm getting more home sick by the day, and my cold isn't going away. Also, something other than an air mattress or bunk bed sounds AWESOME.

I miss my life and I want it back.

They really DO have mayonaise with fries.

It's actually pretty good.

So, I'm in Amsterdam. Weee. Sorry if I'm not overly enthused, it's just I'm still kind of sick, didn't have much sleep and haven't eaten much of substance, also, the veritable purple haze that is pretty much EVERYWHERE is giving me a headache. But, I am here and I have the rest of the day and two more days to fill, and I don't think I'll have much trouble.

I'm in a little internet cafe somewhere (hopefully) close to my hostel, I can't find it, I took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up lost, everything looks pretty much the same. I need a shower desperatly, man, how many times has that thought crossed my mind in the past two months...holy shit I've been gone for almost two months.

I had all these thoughts and musings about amsterdam, but as is my curse, unless I right them down at the time, they are gone...just that amsterdam, unlike many other places, is pretty much you hear it is and expect it to be. One thing people don't really tell you is that the city is gorgeous. Dozens of canals go through it, the trees and tall and pretty, the streets usually cobbled, the buildings old, high and brick, the cathedrals are gorgeous, and yet people just think of it as a party city. Which is true, and puts me a weird spot, I don't really party. Sure, this could be a good time to start, and may well be the start, but partying is busy work, and I am haunted by almost constant exhaustion. My mind is working way to hard to keep up with the fact that there is something utterly new each day and coupled with poor sleeping and eating habits, you lose gusto quickly. But enough complaining about being tierd, that's for when I get home.

I had some more things to say, but they left with my energy a few hours ago, maybe some m0re later, if I don't end up crashing listening to radiodread (I had to go to Holland to find it, but I did).

Later my home-ees. Word to thine mother.

the list.

I suggest reading the post before this first.

• Jesus
• JRR Tolkein
• Stephen King
• Anne McCaffery
• Owen Pallet
• Kevin Drew
• Bredan Canning
• Leslie Feist
• Amy Millan
• Emily Haines
• Ben Lee
• Sufjan Stevens
• Meagan McCafferty
• JK Rowling
• Ze Frank
• Ryan North
• Natalie + Drew
• Jeph Jaques
• Nobou Utmestu
• The FF andDBZ people (names unknown)
• Dallas Green
• Gordon Lightfoot
• James Hetfield
• Douglas Coupland
• Tim Burton
• Quentain Tarintino
• Thom Yorke
• Bill Murray
• Sophia Coppalo
• Kevin Spacey
• Chester Benington
• Hank + John Green
• Miranda July
• Uma Thurman
• Chad Kroeger
• The Goo Goo Dolls
• Hawksley Workman
• Sarah Slean
• John Stewart
• Stephen Colbert
• Al Gore
• Matt Stone
• Trey Parker
• Micheal Moore
• Johnny Cash
• Eric Clapton
• Kurt Cobain
• Billy Joe Armstrong
• Billy Corgan
• The Beatles
• Zach Braff
• William Shakespeare

This portion took about 5 minutes and was before I fell aslpeep, there are lots of names missing.

Imagine how awesome a movie based on a Douglas Coupland book, directed by Sofia Coppala and scored by Sufjan Stevens would be.

The last beautiful day.

Is it sad that New Buffalo is the jazziest music I own? It is pretty jazzy though...

Uhm! To explain yesterdays post. I spent most of yesterday watching this. Which is a week-daily vidoe bog of two brothers corresponding by no other means than these logs and the occasional phone call. No textual interaction, which is the point of the whole thing. They are smart, funny and weird and take a lot of cues from ze frank, (and are completely aware of this) which is awesome, because I have placed ze on a god-like pedastal and am seriously missing the show. Sincere thanks to Clair for telling me about B2 months ago.

Anyways.

I occurs to me that this was supposed to be a travel blog, yet I talk little of travel. It also occurs to me that whilst travelling, the last thing you want to talk about is travelling, even though you will invariably and sometimes against your own wished end up talking about travel.

Amsterdam is calling and tomorrow I shall answer.

With the re-reading of the Half Blood Prince complete, I have moved onto the last of my book stocks, Shampoo Planet by Douglas Coupland. Harry Potter to Tyler Johnson is quite a leap and took a little getting used to, but all is well.

Last night, not being able to sleep I made a list of famous media centric people who have had partial if not diret influence on my life. I reached 65 in about 5 minutes and decied to stop because it was getting depressing thinking that all these people have unknowingly shaped my life and the lives of thousands if not millions of other people. Which brings more thoughts to me, but those are for face to face articulation where intuition and mind reading can fill in my inevitable gaps.

I want to come home, but it's not quite time to.

There is no 'I' in Brotherhood.

Nerd Fighters, Fighting Nerds, What Is Your Power Move?

...wait...that's not quite right...

Great.

Well. I'm officially sick. Third time this trip, gah! Well I suppose that's what I get for living out of a back pack, sharing rooms with strangers, not eating properly and getting a proper night's sleep only once a week. Oh well, I'm not bitter or complaining, just offering a word of warning for future travellers, take care of yourself.

I'll heading to amsterdam on sunday, I wanted a hotel but they're stupidly expensive, and I have a feeling everything else will be pretty expensive too. I'll be there for 3 nights and then off to somewhere...France maybe. Although there is a definite longing, I won't be heading home for a little bit yet.

Yep...that's about it, I'll hopefully be feeling better tomorrow, if not, then I can only hope for the next day to be a better one.


TOO MANY BOOKS!!! TOO MUCH MUSIC!!!

Linkage

Best U2 cover ever. Thanks Ryan.
Dinosaur Comics has been pretty funny lately, I enjoyed this one in particular.
This one is from Clair. Thanks Clair.
I love Perry Bible Fellowship .
This makes me smile.

Pictures late I think

How do aeroplanes stay up?

Dudes! How do I make words into links instead of big ass-adresses!?

So, I'm just stealing this from clair, but becase there isn't really much to say right now, I'm cool with it. Are you?

I would really like to talk to Sufjan Stevens, have like some tea or coffee or something, but have a feeling he's really shy. Atleast that's something we have in common, along with a love for the banjo.

I watched the movie stay, last night. It was good but I felt it had a cop out ending and tried to do too much. And a couple nights ago I watched Lost In Translation again, I love it too much.

I finished the Half Blood Prince, and after a few days of failed attempts to read anything else, I'm reading it again. Queue Loser by Beck.

I'm sick, or well on my way to being sick, so that sucks a little bit, hopefully if I pump enough vitamin c and asprin through my veins it will kill the very unwelcome guest in my veins.

I come home soon, in like...three weeks, thats scray. I hope to make them a good few weeks, and if they don't look like they're going to be, homecoming comes early I guess.

Links a pictures a little later.

I am the cat brain in david russlel's fruit salad

I Heart Huckabees.

Happy Birthday To Me.

Gah, Angst.

Sorry if I'm coming across whiney or angsty lately, I'm pretty sure I am. It's this place and the people in it...wearing me down. Oh well, hopefully westerlee will bring some better moods. Again, sorry for the teenage angst.

I'm lonely and I'm thinking too much. I should really just go crazy, get trashed, or something. That wouldn't solve much though, it would just make tomorrow bad and my wallet angry. I could get deep and depressing on you all, but I think my notebook likes it more.

I'm off to Holland tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to it, most of the people aren't very nice, and I always get stuck in a room full of arrogant Italians or Spaniards. I guess I should get back to the Hostel soon, I could have moved into my new room 8 hours ago. I think a little ze will cheer me up...or finishing the 5th HP and starting the 6th which I managed to find today.

I need a decent nights sleep and some fun, hopefully my birthday will be a good day.

Thats all for now, I think some cheerier music than EITS is order when I get back to the hostel.

I had a way better title in mind.

I found a fair today, that made me happy.

I didn't go on any rides or anythings, rides by yourself are depressing, I can imagine foreign ones would be even more so. Also, stupidly expensive. Anyways.

Two, well technically three posts in one day? Not a good sign. I'm either bored with this city already, or am overwhelmed. I think it's the former. It's a nice city, with nice sights, but otherwise not much to do, and the whole other language thing doesn't help, but I'm here tomorrow and then over to Holland where some people I am somehow related to are putting me up for a couple days and will show me about. And the good news is that one of them is Canadian and they aren't octegenarians! Huzzah! They are in fact only a few years older than me. So, I'm pretty pumped.

Still no pictures, I didn't actually intend to end up here, all I wanted a was a mars bar,but I didn't feel like going back to the hostel until the people in my room were out for the night. They were looking at me awefully weird and when one tried to make conversation they all laughed..so yes...a little uncomfortable. I've plowed through a couple hundred more pages in Harry Potter, and man do things start happening quick. And Milokas or however you spell it is totally Umbridge...totally.

That's all for now, I'm going to listen to some ocremix and do some looking about...there was something I was meaning to look up...oh well....

Just Lost.

Edit-I realize this edit is before anyone actually read this, but it makes it looks special. I bought a book of scrabble thoery and strategy for 20 pence, it's awesome. Also, if a laugh is required, as it always is....http://www.zefrank.com/theshow/archives/2006/11/112706.html. Enjoy.

So I meant to post the previous post last night, but I got my buttons mussed up, so go read that one...done? Good.

Whilst walking the streets of Bremen and seeing some pretty sights before it decided to cloud up and become not very enjoyable outsitde, I figured a few things out. The main I will share with you is how utterly appropriate it was for L.I.T. to be playing in the back ground, in German, on my first night in a country that doesn't speak English. I had it worked out more eloquently in my head before hand, but I guess thats how it always works isn't it?

Anyways. I took a bunch of pictures, but they won't be showing up now, due to a lack of cord-ness. So when I get back to the Hostel and have a chance, I'll upload some of them.

It's a nice place here, tomorrow, or later today I think I'm going to make my way down to the 'old' part of town and take some pictures, film probably.

Some of the people speak english, which helps a lot, but most don't. I can figure out some things through inflection or situation, but the rest, I'm hopeless.

There is no lock on my dorm's door, gah, and my back pack won't fit in the locker. Luckily I have some locks, and the hostel seems like a decent place. Excpet for the snorers....it sounded like some horrible creature was chocking on a lawn mower, and was being strangled...by a chain of even more lawn mowers. It kept me awake for a least two hours, when I finally passed out. When I woke up the room was empty, as was the showers and halls, and according to my clock is was almost 12 in the afternoon. I was kind of happy about this, meant I actually got a good sleep. As it turns out, my little travel alarm clock was wrong, and I got up at just after 8, giving me a grand total of 5 restless hours after a 12 hour day of trains, stations and planes, and sleeping on the floor the night before, I'll go into that later. So yes, it's amazing how the great the placebo effect is. I was bright and kipper, thinking I got a great sleep until a few hours later, I came across several clocks saying it was 11, and that was when I began feeling the effects of a poor nights sleep, oh well.

Anyways, why was I sleeping on the floor? Well, as I was getting into bed, for some reason one of the braces snapped at one end, rendering the bed un usable, and me bedless. I could have told the people I was staying with then, but it was kind of late, and that was embarressing. So I made a make shift bed on the rather hard floor and squeezed 5 hours of it until giving up at 8 the next morning and going down and telling them it broke when I was getting dressed, after remaking the bes to support my story. I'm ridiculous, I know.

Last posts title is the new album from Explosions In The Sky, and I quite like it. There is only one problem, you know those head phones I bought? Well if you don't, it doesn't matter all you need to know is that the cord for them is literally, 7 feet long. So I keep having to roll it all up which is wrecking the cord and making it so they will only play right if the cord is in a certain spot...it's easy enough to do, just stupidly annoying and is ruining the post rock zen of EITS. Anyways, after 5 hours of walking, some food and maybe a little Harry Potter is in order. I'm hooked on the book, I don't know why I waited 4, almost 5 years to read it. The first has been slow, but I've been told it picks up.

That's all for now, this has turned into a novel, and I'm sorry.

All of a sudden I miss everyone.

Well, not all of a sudden, it's been more a gradual yet inevitable feeling looming over my shoulder...but enough of that. 10 points for whoever knows where the title came from.

10 more points for who ever can guess where I am....give up? Well, if you managed to guess Bremen, GERMANY, please let me know so I can give you you're points and ask you about you're psychic powers.

On a side note, Lost In Translation is playing behind me, in German, and I recognized it by hearing Charlie's friend butchering God Save The Queen. Is that a little sad? Anyways.

I haven't posted in a bit, but thats in part caused by the almost lack of internet, but more the lack of intersting things happening. I spent the lat 5 or so days with a distant and again, elderly cousin. And doing nothing suited me just fine. I got out of London and was happy doing so. What I did to kill 5 days was read and watch several hours of Scrubs a day. It was pretty awesome. I broke down and bought the Book Thief and it was awesome. That took four days, and on Sunday I bought a second hand paper back of the 5th Harry Potter and I'm just under half way done. Anyways my time is almost done, I'll post more later.

It seems impossible to imagine a thousand years.

Hello all. I don't know who is reading this, well technically I do, I doubt a stranger would be reading this, I'm just not sure which person I know is reading this now, or whenever, well who ever you are, I hope you are having a good day.

First off. I am in London. Yes, London. And I am freaking out. This place is seriously terrifying. I have been here for roughly 4 hours and have done nothing, but still, freaking out. The shear size that you feel whilst here is enough, now add a few million stupidly busy people and this feeling that you really, are not wanted. There's more, but thats the gist. I've been looking forward to London, and now that I'm actually here, I don't think I want to be. It doesn't help that this place is practically bursting with people, for it's Easter, you see. I have a couple nights booked, after that I'm pretty sure I'd be moving to a different hostel every night or spending a hundred quid on a hotel room. So, my plan is try and arrange a flight out of here, or catch a ride through the chunnel and head to france. That plan sits better with my head and heart. Also, things are stupidly exspensive here. And that is not good.

I want to do this right, of all the cities I want to go to, I want to make sure that London is done right and I truely enjoy it. That means that I will have to go and come back on this current trip, or make a special trip just to London, when I have more money and an actual plan, London is not very drifter friendly. So, I will spend the rest of the night doing not much of anything, I just got very trierd, and then try and cram some very touristy things in tomorrow, and figure out the best way to get across the english channel. So thats my plan thus far, I think it will work out.

I was in windsor last night and this morning. I went to Windsor Castle for no other reason that it being there. It was pretty cool. I have seen a lot of castles, but this was a little different. The only reason why I mention this is because of what happened on the walk to the castle.

I was on this foot path they call the long walk, which goes from the castle to this quintesential man on horse statue (suprisingly this was the first one I saw the entire time over here, and it was probably a mile or more away). Anyways, I was in an odd mood, and for some reason I felt like making myself feel small. I do this sometimes when I feel overwhelmed, it makes my problems seem less problematic. But, it went a little bit to far, I had what would probably be described as an agrophobic attack and felt helplessly lost, alone and insignifcant. I was dizzy, short of breath and didn't how to make it stop, and for awhile (it was probably no more than a few moments but time seemed to stretch out, as it often does) I didn't think it would. Then I started thinking that there are people out there, no matter how close or far they may be, that honestly care about me, it sounds selfish, but it helped calm me down and ground me enough to get my head back. Does this happen to anyone else, how do you deal with it?

Anyways.

A few things that have been a fairly sizable portion of my life came to a close in the past few days. I finished the dark tower series, and finally watched the last episode of the show with zefrank. They sound trivial, but they were fairly important to me. I almost cried when certain go the clearing at the end of the path in the dark tower, and was welling up pretty good when ze said his simple but heart felt goodbye. It's weird I know, but it's the weird things that make us who we are.

I read Life After God by Douglas Coupland in two sitting today and yesterday. It was...incredible, and endlessly hard to describe and place. You should read it, all of you, it could change your life. Really.

I was going to buy and read the Book Thief today, but I ran out of time and everywhere was closed before I got my head straight(ish). So I think I'm going to maybe buy a magazine or read Shampoo Planet by Mr. Coupland tonight. He's a good and quick read, makes you think too. Probably what I need right now.

I don't know if there is anything else to say...have a good easter I suppose, if I don't a chance to wish you one before those days.

Just this.

Close your eyes, now or sometime, and keep them closed. Keep them closed for as long as it takes to convince yourself that you are in fact blind. If you can't do that, just keep them closed long enough to forgot what you were looking, move from where you were if you have to. Then...open them. Open them as if you were seeing for the first time, take in the colours, the magic, the life that is around, drink it in, the feeling may only last a moment, maybe less, but it will be there, have this moment carry through your day, remember the magic of opening your seeminly for the first time.

In a haze of green and gold.

I was not expacting who died to die, when they died.
Not much to tell, life goes on, pints go down.
Last night I watched Jackie Brown.
Seriously, that rhyme was totally unintentional.
I have spent atleast six hours of the past three days outside soaking in the sunshine, it's pretty gray and hazey today though. I need to find a shoulder bag, or a better more efficent packing system. Mine is not so hot.
I have a couple pictures, I could have sworn I took more of the loch, and that it was nicer out that day. For pictures of Inverness, you'll have to wait for the film prints (they are going to be awesome, I hope.)

I'm in a weird mood, almost melancholic. I don't know why. This could be lack of sleep, I haven't gotten more than 5 hours in over a week.

Boggled.

Hello stranger, I feel that we don't talk anymore, and that makes me sad.

I am in Inverness and I am having a good time. There is very little to do, save walk around and go to the Loch, and I have done both. But the hostel is nice and the people are nicer, so I'm good.

I saw this band doing a preview show at the HMV here, (which by the by has a better selection of music than HMV and X-Ray combined) they are called Tiny Dancers. They sound like a more poppy less bassy Cuff The Duke. They played this really sweet hand clappy song which I was sad to see was not on the EP dealie. Anyways, they were playing a gig in town, but my interent provided directions prooved worthless! It took over two hours to walk there and back, the Dutch girl who came with me wasn't exactly exicted about this. If I were alone, left earlier or had a car, I could have found it, but alas and alack. We went to a pub near here and soaked up some good celtic music and drank sweet local beer.

I played Boggle until two in the morning yesterday, and everyone in my room decided they should start the day at 7 o' the clock so I got up then too. For my first time playing boggle, and given the fact that I was dead tired and it was two in the morning, I did pretty good. I was 50 behind the leader and 15 behind the guy who is hell bent on winning.

Have you ever listened to the Beach Boys and wanted it to sound more like Godspeed You! Black Emporer or A Silver Mt. Zion? If so you should definitely check out the new Besnard Lake album. If you don't know what the hell I'm talking about, but like incredible vocal harmonies and a nice blend of classical and rock-ish music, then still give it a listen. I bought new headphones because the ones I bought crapped out. My new ones are sweet and it makes cd's sound I'm listening to them for the first time and only 12£!

So...I don't think I'm going to make it to June...I'll probably be coming home the middle of May. For various reasons, but hey, it's not like I can't come back. My tentative shedule for the next bit is: here, a cousins outside of london, london, valencia, ampstedam, belgium, france.

Bye bye for now!

Okay, So.

Sorry for my rather inconsistent postings as of late, and they will soon become even more sparse. The internet in my hostel is down, so until it's back, I have to use fifteen minute intervals at the library where it seems they don't really appreciate me abussing their system in a way, and who can blame them. Also, this is directed at my parents, I haven't had any luck in locating a phone, let alone one that I can make long distance calls on, and the phone at the B&B was weird, and my apologies. I have a lot more to say, but I need to find some stuff concerning my passport before my time runs out! Bye bye!

O, Discordia.

I'm not sure what to say, most of what there is to has been said, but I feel like I should, I'm not sure.

With planning and some magic, there is a way for me to get to Loch Ness, hopefully it will be a worth while trip. Under the advice of Mr. Jerimiah I will be going to Valencia, and will hopefully avoid the gyspy children with their boxes and greedy hands.

The Dark Tower itself draws close, this story became something I never thought it would, but I would have it no other way (save a little more consistency with the overall feel and writting).

Has anbody listened to Lily Allen or the new Bloc Party album, if so, what do think? Would I like either? I put away AmAnSet for a little bit and have replaced it with Oh, Inverted world by The Shins, a worthy trade, and because of it, (mainly because of New Slang) I am extremely mellow.

I have some more pictures.


A holy wishing well of sorts.

It's inside the well, the light was a hundred times better when I first saw it.

These are all over Dublin.

More street photography.

The house of my kind hosts.

Their shed.

Their house again.

Stairway to a creek?
Delapadated.

Susannah-Mio, divided girl of mine. Parked her rig, in the Dixie Pig in the year of 1999.

Can I get a GAWD-BOMB?

Oh yea, pictures.
Also, I bought Talkie Walkie by AIR and Know By Heart by Am(erican)An(alog)Set for ten €uro each. They are both enjoyable. I hope you like the pictures.
ALSO ALSO! If some weird guy talked to you msn I APOLOGIZE, the internet place cut of my time last time and didn't give me a chance to sign out, so once again, sorry and enjoy the pictures.

I like taking pictures of people taking pictures.

Generally cute kid, need better camera.

I like street photography, I still need a better camera though.

The bottom reads 'But how embarressed would I be If I got Chlamydia?'

BEST BILLBOARD EVER. Seriously, the guy who thought this up was a genius.

Lobster, sure, crab, sure, salmon holding a cuccumber...uhmm?

I like boats.

Das pertty, leastways I think so.

Zee Cliffs of Mohar.

I believe that would be the Castle of Blarney.

Same Castle.

Mountains, sun, clouds, you know.

The squirrels made is seem less lonely.

The movie I watched last night is easily the strangest I've seen, strange in a good way but also strange in a 'I want this to be over so it can stop freaking me out and I can finish my messed up book'. The movie of which I type is called Tideland, and yes, it is beyond weird. I'm glad I watched it, but at the same time I wish I had gotten American Beauty instead...oh well.

I am currently in Ballina where I have been more or less for the past few days. I am staying with my cousin Ivan and his wife Jane. The have a really nice house and I get my own room and don't have to sleep in a tiny little bunch and there is no snoring! Huzzah! I am having a good time and enjoying not having to worry about much of anything. I saw some abbeys, churches and a holy wishing wel yesterday. The light inside the well was perfect and I'm hitting myself for not having any camera with me, speaking of which, I have quite a few pictures from my bus tour, I will be putting some of them up now and some more later. I might be going to loch ness after leaving here, but it's rather difficult to get to, but, I pretty much have to go though, right? I don't have much else to say right now, except that I'm almost done the sixth installment of the Dark Tower and the seventh will probably not take too much time. This series just keeps getting weirder. I'm not sure if King actually thinks it happened or he's just a really good story or he's just laughing at us, I think it might actually be a little bit of all three. Anyways, I need to catch up with the show, it ends...tomorrow.

Long days and pleasent nights.

Meet me at Hapenny Bridge

First off, my apologies for the lack of updates. Tuesday I was busy for most of the day and saw a movie at night (I'll get to that in a moment) and I was knocked out of commission entirely on Wednesday by a terrible stomach flu which is still with me in some form. Anyways.

Tuesday was a day of walking and explorinfg and seeing the zoo. The zoo was one of the most depressing places I'd been in awhile. There were hardly any animals, the ones that were there were tiny and kept in horrid cages. It also didn't help that it cost me 14€ to get in and I thought I lost my locker key. I had thought about taking a bus or taxi, but I figured it was only an hour, maybe two hour walk, and it turned out to be somewhere in the middle. I walked around for the rest of the day and went and saw Hot Fuzz (it was made by the same people who made Shaun of the Dead). It was histerical, I don't know if it's over there yet, but if it is, go see it, it's well worth the couple bucks.

Wednesday was not a good day, I didn't eat a thing, and consumed about 5 litres of water, none of which stayed with me for very long, but I'll spare you from any other details. I managed to make some simple phone calls and slept for probably 20 of the 24 hours in that day.

I woke up at 7 o'clock (ugh) on Thursday so I would be able to catch my bus. It felt like my nasty stomach bug had left me, this was only partly true. I trudged over to the pick up place and waited for our driver who turned out to be hilarious and very Irish. There were six of us in all, and there are usually many, many more, but we made due.

We drove around Dublin and our guide (Stephan) pointed out interesting places and always had a story, he had a story or joke for every occasion. My memory of most of the trip is a little blurry, mostly because I was engrossed in my book, also I wasn't feeling well. Anyways, we would stop here and there to see a caslte or what not, but the only that mattered was Blarney.

The town of Blarney is hardly a town, but we ate lunch there (it turns out that those 6€ would be wasted...eesh) and headed over to the castle. I kissed the stone of course, but I'm suprised I had a chance, the 'gaurd' guy who makes sure you don't die whips you up so quick I almost lost me nose! But it did crack my back, for which I was thankful. The gift of the gab hasn't set in, if I could talk like I write, or think, there would be no need for the stone. It gets lost somewhere in between, but, mayhap things shall be a-changin'. More happened that day I'm sure, but I can't remember much of it, at least things ye kind folks would care to read.

It worth mentioning however that I have finished the fifth installment of the Dark Tower series, which turned out to be a suprisingly good and easy read. I promptly started the sixth, which I'm sure will follow suit, the dark tower draws close friends, very close indeed. I am literally busrting waiting to find slash figure everything out. I hope to God and the Man Jesus that it doesn't disappoint. When I return, me and mr. lawrence (side note, where is the x-men reference?) and me and ms. campbell will have ourselves a little palaver, agreed folken?

Anyways, enough of books and back to Ireland. I am running short on time so I will have to be brief.

The second was the best, it held the most beauty and the most history. The Cliffs of Moher are some of the most beautiful and staggering things you shall ever see, any picture I upload, ( there will be many pictures at a later date, many, many pictures) will not do them justice. I shot a roll of film on some brillant rocks and cliffs a little further down, I think they shall turn out grand, grand indeed.

We spent the night in Galway, which is basically a tiny Dublin. I managed to get myself lost, had a pint, talked to some crazy locals and shared some wine an stories with some fellow travellers. I turned in early however, it turned out to be not early enough, I am still somewhat tierd, but this could be because I haven't really eaten since Tuesday. The thought of eating does not sound appealing, maybe some cereal will go down okay. My time is almost spent, farewell friend, I love ye all.

If you write

They will read? If that's not already a saying, I totallly clame it. The feild o' dreams folks might have some issues with that. Just like Sophia Coppalla might have a problem with the screenplay that I'm definetly NOT WRITTING. I'm just sayin', ya know? RAGE. (10 points if you the joke).

Anyways, enough jokes for nerds (10 more for that one!). Today was another lazy day, but I still managed to get lost and listen to Broken Social Scene. If you ever have a chance, get lost to BSS first album, just do it.

I was feeling sick before I left, and the ill feeling still lingers in my head, and it makes me drowsy. the tierd feeling could be from not having a good night's sleep in several before sleeping a dorm with a dozen people who snore and pillow that might as well be mat, or not their at all. I took some more pictures today, some I think I will be generally pleased with, but due to time contraints, they will have to wait for another time.

The weather is still lousy, hopefully it picks up so I can go to the zoo. I am going on a three day tour of ireland and I leave on thursday, not friday. After I get back, I head to Ballina, and I am a little more than looking forward to this. I like Dublin, but it's a draining city, especially for a rather introverted, independent soul such as myself. Anyways, there are some other things to check before I run out of time and call home and my cousin in Ballina. Cheers, as they say.

Canadia

Thats what they called me last night, Canadia. The pub crawl was fun, I met some generally nice people, had some drinks and some superficial small talk. Overall, a good time, and if the weather wasn't dreadful, I'd go on another one tonight, the weather and also I don't think my wallet would agree. Drinks are expensive. Details seem boring and I'm not very good at providing them, also, it wouldn't make that good a story.

I was going to go around looking for some things today, but it just now stopped raining, and it's still cold and blowing, so I spent the afternoon reading and relaxing, I am on vacation, yes?

Tomorrow I'm going to go to the main office of Shamrockers tours and book myself a ticket on a bus tour leaving the ninth of march. I'm out of jacob's inn on wednesday, but there is a vertiable plethora of hostels and bed and breakfasts around here, I should be fine.

Not much else to say...I was going to post some pictures, but something went wrong with blogger...oh well..next time.

Oh anarchy.

If you can't leave a comment but want to just e-mail me at paisleac@hotmail.com

thus far, today has been a good day. I kind of piddled around till noon, and at said noon, I went
to the anarchist book fair. it was interesting with lots of really smart and just as many not as smart people. I got some good literature, and some good view points, but a lot of people, including the one I go in an arguement with, were so far left that they were right. the idealogical ring comes into play! but none of them would ever really admit it. anyways. There isn't much to say really, i had some guiness last night, interesting stuff. I almost felt like going to more bars and diving into the general populous, but it was cold, i was sore and tierd, so I ended up just reading and actually getting some sleep. But a pub crawl is almost a certainty tonight, no excuses from me!

I, well, my mom found a really nice sounding bus tour that goes to a lot of places I want to go. It leaves on the nineth, and i'm out of my hostel on the sixth. I was planning on going directly to Ivan's after checking out of my hostel, but I'm sure I could find three days of stuff to do, if not I'll just sleep or drink for those days.

I have a good feeling about this tour, and it's good to commit to things so I'll probably book it pretty soon. Thats all for today. I'll leave you with some lyrics, when I'm not listening to the neon bible, I'm listening to this song.

I can see a lot of life in you.
I can see a lot of bright in you.
And I think the dress looks nice on you.
I can see a lot of life in you.

I can see a bed and make it too.
I can see a fireside turn blue.
And I can see the lot of life in you.
Yes, I can see a lot of life in you.

When the world looks back,
when the face looks after that,
I can see a lot of life in you.
Yes, I can see a lot of life in you.

I can see a lot of life in you.
I can see your bed and make it too.
And I think the dress looks nice on you.
Yes, I can see a lot of life in you.
I can see a lot of life in you.
Yes, I can see a lot of life in you

My feet hurt.

I woke this morning to a similar feeling to yesterday morning, only A THOUSAND TIMES WORSE. I have determined this feeling is directly related to me being hungry and thousands of miles away from home, currently, only one of those things is fixable. I left the hostel at around 10 (keep that in mind for later), fresh and being among people seems to help somewhat, not as much as eating, but they help. I worked my way into the temple bar area, which kind of like 13th ave and scarth street combined and about a hundred times bigger, busier and irish..er. I had some pancakes and some weird earl grey tea which seemed to help. I have discovered why everything tastes somehwat similar here, it's because everything (everything!) is cooked with or in lard of some variety. Seriously, my pancakes tasted like grissel, it was weird. I continued walking aroud this area, found some cool yet really expensive clothes stores, I would have bought an army jacket, but the sleeves were too short. But Mtt you say, your jackets sleeves are already too short! This is true! Now I want a jacket that comes to my wrists! I found a tower records, which has almost literally everything ever recorded, and half of everything in vinyl. I'm a nerd and bought the new arcade fire cd, if I had more time I would give my official indepth review, the short is...it's good! Buy it! Anyways, it's proving to be a good soundtracking cd. I walked around a little more, took a tour of dublin castle, more walking, went to the irish national gallery saw some nice paintings, when I got out, I was done being lost, and thats when got even more lost. Not knowing where you're going and not knowing where you are is one thing, knowing where you want to go (in this case, somewhere somewhat familiar) and not knowing at all how to get there is another thing. I was actually lost for a little over 2 hours, I finally got where I was going at 7 o'clock...I was walking, at a reasonable pace for over 9 hours...I'm sore and tierd. I was going to go on a pub crawl tonight, I was also going to go to the zoo, but it rained all day (yes, nine hours of walking in the rain). so I think I will do those things tomorrow, or maybe go to the anarcist book fair. I will most likely end up on this literay pub crawl though. I HAVE to go The Blarney castle, I'll probably go to a travel agent place and ask them some stuff tomorrow.

Well, I'm sore and hungry and have 22 minutes left.

Oh yea! I saw julius caeser last night at the abbye, I paid 30 € for the tickets, but it was pretty a perfect seat. It was really, just the pacing could have been better in places. Anyways! I'm going to find a pub and soem grub...close.

Today.

When I woke up today after my not so hot sleep (there was what seemed to be a kicking lawn mower in the bunch beneath me) I felt dreadfully alone and lost and I wanted to be be home, instantly. The feeling lingered through breakfast and my brief writing season in the commons room. I had enough of it, grabbed my coat, some money and the may mix from Clair and headed out for a walk. This city is always busy. I worked my way around what seemed to be a residential area, it's really hard to tell, it's the whole city is pretty much a mish mash of houses, shops, churches and industry. I went to the writers museum and saw some neat stuff, a couple buildings down was the dublin city gallery, which had some nice stuff and an exhibit of francois bacon's ( I think that was his name) studio. It was insane, and in many ways reminded me of the graphic arts room, which I'm not sure is a good thing because bacon himself described his studio as utter chaos. Or maybe leblonde really knew what he was doing. I'm surprised I made my way back to the area of my hostel, I was pretty lost, but I managed. I'm not sure what the rest of the day will bring, but the abbey is putting on julies caeser, and that sounds like a nice way to spend a night. I just need to find this abbey place and hopefully get tickets. The rain has lightened stopped so I'll probably be going out soon, hopefully to get some food. The odd thing is that I rarely feel like I need to eat, which isn't a good thing, I'm afraid I'll end up all malnourished and what not. I have some pictures! Hope you enjoy them. Please leave comments! It lets me know you still love me and that I'm not all alone!

Smoking AND Hamlet kill.


the Isaac Butt...what a wonderful name for a pub.

It's all guiness, everywhere....I'm drowning in it and I haven't had a drop.

I don't know...it just made me happy.

The steering wheel! It's on the right side.

Another.

Another € another hour of surfing this internet thing.

Well, I'm somewhat fed and watered and more than rested. Whilst waiting to get into my room I napped and snored (my snoring kept waking me up) and when I finally got into my room I promptly slept for over 5 hours, I was planning on sleeping longer, all the way through to tomorrow but I couldn't sleep so I got up and went for a walk, the previously dreary weather has been replaced by the equivalent to a nice spring night, and this is winter here! I got a feeling for my surroundings and have come to the conclusion that every building around here is either a pub, hostel or a spar, a nicer version of 711, and there are more of them. I need to get some more food sometime soon, probably when this hour is up, I saw a subway a little ways away and that sounds awesome, I'll save the pubs for when I've showered and am somewhat presentable.

I am feeling generally better about my whole situation, before I was feeling...overwhelmed I think is a good word. I am almost glad I didn't get in the first time, I would utterly insane by now, or smooth as silk, we'll never know. Me saying that it's good I didn't get in could either a0 true or b) my brain adapting to a situation and convincing itself that it is actually better off this way, when in fact it's not. Like the original drummer for the beatles, he says getting kicked out is the best thing that ever happened to him, or how life time inmates, or people on death row say that going to jail was the best thing, I doubt that our correctional programs are in fact that effective.

I've gotten off topic, but what is the topic, this is just me talking, and you reading, mind you, you probably want to hear about my trip, well, seeing as how it hasn't been a day and I already have two rather lengthy trips, I'll let you decide. (I honestly don't know the answer, thats why you have to figure it out!)

I am happy with this hostel of mine, it should work out well. I would like to meet some people, but most of the people there are either over middle aged or don't speak English. I am kind of regretting coming alone, but maybe it will work out for the best, who would have come anyways.
There will probably be lots of posts like this, but it just means I like you and want to have some sort of connection with you, even though we are a sea apart.

I have declared tomorrow walking around and taking pictures day, maybe buy a more suitable jacket for this weather, or maybe an umbrella at least. There are open USB ports on these computers so hopefully I can figure out a way to get some pictures onto these machines.

I just realized that the radio station is similar to american top 40, and it's a little weird. I suppose they realize most people using these computers are tourists, I think this entire 10 block spread realizes that it's mainly tourists around here, and I'm okay with that, lessens the chance of me getting mugged.

I need to figure out a better situation with my bags slash clothes, you can rent lockers, and I currently have one, I just need to renew the lock so I don't have to take my back pack everywhere, they call it backpacking but it's more like a suitcase in spirit. The typical back packing trip around europe is pretty much dead, and I don't know who killed it. I think I would be more open to said trip if I were in smaller towns, walking around with a big pack on is basically asking to get beat up, also, where do you put it if you wanted to put said pack down. I don't know, I don't know much about backpacking, which is odd because I'm in FREAKING IRELAND, LIVING OUT OF A BACKPACK. Anyways, I think for the next week I want to be a tourist, and then whilst in Ballina I will just be.

Well, thats one way to kill half an hour, it's what...3 o'clock there? Wow. Anyways, there are other things to find on this intarweb, this is a lot of posting for the first day, and it's basically about nothing, but thats why you love me right?

H'okay.

I'm not sure what was up with my posts earlier, it just wouldn't work, I'm at a cheaper, more realiable computer now though.

Okay, so I'm in Dublin, and I'm checked into my hostel which I think will work out well. I can't get into my room until 3, or 9 your time. I have something to eat, which was hard because I haven't had real food in quite some time. I would be sleeping now, but as I said I'm not in my room for another couple hours, after my hours is up here I'll probably go crash in the commons room and just vedge out, I am completely drained. I need a shower, hopefully those aren't out of order or something. I am going to buy some bread and orange juice and live off that for the rest of the day, for however long I'm awake.

It's dreary here, but there is no snow, so thats a plus, and everything is so green. Tomorrow I think I'm going to just walk around for a bunch and hopefully be able to find my way back before I get locked out. Today is a day of rest and recouperation. As I said, I am drained. I apologize if my words are a little scattered, but I'm basically just writting I'm thinking at the moment, and that is sleep, and some food. I think I'll be okay here, atleast for the week I'm in my hostel. I'm going to go to the zoo, it should be a wonderous time, and hopefully make it out to some castles. Dublin seems nice, but it's the little towns that draw my interest, I think I will take my cousin Ivan up on his offer and stay there for a week. Ballina sounds nice. I'm not sure if I'm still really hungry or my weak stomach digesting the fatty back bacon. Probably a little of both.

The people at the hostel seem really nice, at least the guy who checked me in, I don't think I'd get funny looks if I asked whats fun to do in Dublin, I'm pretty sure there are no shortages in that department. I'm basically just saying the same thing over and over, I apologize, just bear with me, this is the closest to contact I'm going to get with some of you and I'm trying to savour it, also, this makes me feel connected, universal, I wrote like 20 pages in my notebook on similar feelings.

The flights were terrible, all of them more cramped than the last, and all of them longer too. Waking up at 5 is alright, but waiting in airports for the same amount of time I'm in the air is a little annoying. 10 hours in airports, at least 10 in the air overall. Sleeping is an impossibility, it's too small and I' was afraid I'd end up missing one of the small morsels of food they gave me, and even they weren't enough. I managed to get at most 3 hours of sleep on the transatlantic flight, and less everywhere else, so over the past 2 days I've had around 7 hours of sleep, and none of those hours were good ones.

I have 40 minutes left, I don't think I'll spend them all with you, but I hope you feel some connection here, some reality, like you can see me, because it makes it that much easier to feel connected to you that way, which you is reading this I don't know, but it doesn't matter, you all are important to me and I hope I have some importance in your life aswell, otherwise reading this drivel would be a little trying, and I can imagine it is even if you do like me. Anyways.

In o'hare airport I decided I would listen to Neutral Milk Hotel for most of the flight specifically, I The Aeroplane Over The Sea, in hopes of unlocking some hidden meanings by listening to it in an aeroplane over the sea. Alas, I ended up listening to mixed cd's from Ryan and Clair, they provided the perfect level of melancholy required for my mood and situation. That is all for now, I'll be writting some e-mails and making some calls later on today. Check back often to see what's going on and see if I ever quell my rumbling stomach, it's getting a little painful.

Ireland

A Plan Of Sorts

After 20 or so hours of sleep, I am feeling closer to myself than yesterday. Yesterday's post was a little brash, but it was what I was feeling at the time and I felt it needed to be said.

Moving on.

I think for my sanity and my future, I need to go back, I need to try again. As clair so rightly said, if I don't go back, not getting in will continue to be a terrible thing, forever, but if I try again, then it will just be a minor set back and just another step on the grand scheme of things.

The Plan.

I will be applying for a Working Holiday Visa. This will basically pre-approve me for entry into the country, I didn't think there would be any trouble the first time, so that's why I didn't bother.

I do not know how long it will take to get this, but it will probably be at least a month. I don't know when I will be leaving, if everything goes well with the visa, it will probably be around a month, or month and a half. I will still be flying back in the middle of June, three or four months it still plenty of time.

I don't know what I will be doing until I leave...again, hopefully not rotting away.

That is all for now, I am more than grateful for all of your support, I will hopefully have a chance to thank you all in person.

Eph Yew Sea Quai

This is probably the most embarressing things I will ever have to write.

I am writing this from home, in my quiet, dark, bedroom.

At the end of my 8 hour flight to London and 5 hours of waiting, questioning, and finger print taking, I was denied entry into the united kingdom. This is no joke and if you make jokes or "I saw that coming" comments, I will probably never speak to you again. I have had about 18 hours of sleep since I went to sleep at roughly eleven o'clock monday evening, I am nothing if not honest right now.

I was placed on a plane that took nine hours to fly from london to toronto, waited two hours, took a plane that took four hours to fly from toronto to calgary, to where my father had flown to a few hours beforehand, we waited six hours in various lobbys to take a fifty-one minute plane ride to regina.

I feel the ass of the horse that started the expression "I feel like a horses ass".

Reason's for me not being able to enter the United Kingdom on the 18th on January.
1. Global Terrorism
2. No proof of money
3. No plan as to what I will be doing
4. Staying 5 months with no visa is suspicious
5. I'm too honest

Those are, as far as I know the reasons.

The questions of when, where and if I will be travelling again have yet to be answered.

I will most likely be in complete recluse for the next while.

I am on the edge of hysterics, I need to sleep, and stop crying.

The Beginning

So this is the first post in a...blog. Yes, I have a blog and it feels dirty. However! It will be to chronicle my "journey".

I leave the city on Tuesday, January 16, 2007 at 7:40 am, by bus to Calgary. This was originally for me to see an Emily Haines show, however, it's sold out, and I cried...Anyways. My flight leaves at 6:00 pm, the following day, and I land in Heathrow Airport around 10:00 am the next day. I have reserved four nights in a hostel not far off Hyde Park.

There, those are the "for-sures", and there aren't many of them, we shall see what happens in the future, to keep up to date, tune in next time, same bat time, same bat channel.

(Now I'm going to get some £ and have a nervous breakdown)