à bientôt...: 01.42 - July 11, 2011

Salut!

I sense a huge sense of neglect for la blog. So sorry. I really am.

I'm sorry because the blog is my release and I love writing in it.

So I finished training at work and tomorrow I work my first real-employee shift and it's a double! This is exciting.

It's funny how I still become nervous (much the same as the first day of grade 7) when something "new" is on the horizon. Last week I completely turned into a shell of my real self...less than a shell..an exoskeleton of myself when the parade of very sophisticated, beautiful, tanned, apparently perfect co-servers came in for the night shift.

Alas. I'm 5 foot four a half for lordy's sake. I don't have to be afraid of anyone.

So this weekend was Folk Fest and I have to admit it was a bit heart wrenching not being there. Do I miss putting my contacts in beer caps? Yes! Yes I slightly do!

What I missed the most though was sleeping/dozing under trees/the brilliant sunshine while listening to the clean, crisp voice of the newest singer/songwriter on the folk scene.

However, on this side of the St Lawrence (which, actually I think is the same side that Winnipeg is on too...have to work on my geography, apparently), I managed to have a lovely weekend.

A friend was visiting and we had a lovely time eating Thai food and then getting stuck in a torrential downpour. We found solace in a Mexican restaurant/bar where we dried off with brown paper towels (those horrible rough ones found in most department stores and offices) and two shots of whiskey.

A man asked if I could salsa and began stroking my hair.

"well, no sir. I can't."

mmm....awkward.....move on.

Saw a Johnny Cash cover band (don't worry Eric, they have nothing on you! Does Eric the Great read my blog? Maybe? Hopefully. Let's agree on hopefully.)

and talked to the wee hours when I hopped into a cab and had the most ludicrously fabulous taxi driver who kept commenting on my accent (this is becoming a theme in Montreal. Apparently the accent is a big deal. Especially being tanned right now...I keep getting asked which Mediterranean country I'm from.)

Eventually we had to stop so I could get money out of a bank machine, and it sounds silly but I had a very beautiful moment in the lobby of the bank. They were playing (rather loudly) Chopin's Nocturne in E-flat major and it was 3 in the morning and I was alone and I closed my eyes and hummed and smiled.

Such a silly little moment but I fell asleep with a smile on my face that night thinking about the number of beautiful moments I've been experiencing. I want to collect them all, stream them altogether, and continuously realize I'm living the dream.

Spent Saturday poolside and ate chorizo sausage hamburgers (if heaven is a meat processing plant, these sausages were god). Slept for 13 hours and then spent my Sunday shopping for work clothes.

The weather is humid, the attitude laid back, the environment exciting. I do miss Winnipeg in the summer time, but Montreal sure doesn't make summer too difficult to enjoy!

Now I have to get a bit back on track and start back up with Kwagala-related things, organizing school...real-life things. Though I'm pleased as punch that there are still many, many weeks left of summer and friends and love and beauty and opportunities to photograph.

Which is where I'll leave off today, with some photographs. I want to keep writing as much as possible and, as you, dear readers, may now realize, photograph. I actually was looking into fine arts programs at Concordia but I'm conflicted. So I want to do everything-BIG DEAL. I can be the first lawyer/doctor/photographer/journalist in the world! I just need to live to be 194 which is a pretty reasonable thing to count on.

I have to figure out school - what's more my calling: journalism or law?

I want to call Refugees International and say "hey...should I do law or journalism? I wanna help. I'm on the cusp of the rest of my life."

Maybe I will.

I have nothing to lose except my life if I ran out into traffic or my hat in this windy weather.

The odds are on my side, non?

I hope everyone is enjoying their life to the utmost and know that if you're reading this, no matter the distance, you're in my head, heart and...well that's all. Those are the only places you are.

I have been taking lots of film and polaroids but my scanner is in Winnipeg so I can't share yet.

But I will.