Sadly I submitted and hesitantly I return...

It's been a long time since I wrote about politics. I gave up. I couldn't do it. Time and time again I was shown how badly the system is broken. We have a president who was not elected. We have had 8 years filled with absurdly blatant lies from Washington DC. We have handed over our civil liberties in the name of an enemy who is paraded about as leverage to earn a few people a whole lot of money. We have become terrified, paranoid, and reactionary creatures just waiting for the next person to throw the word "terrorist" into a pitch so we can bite on the one, too. America is no longer associated with justice, freedom, liberty, opportunity, hope, or goodness. Thanks to our government, we are now associated with injustice, oppression, tyranny, and evil. There is no longer accountability. The government has been proven to be above the law. The hardest lesson of my adulthood has probably been that truth and accountability no longer have a place in our world.

I can't believe that our country is run by people with American interests at heart. I watched the commodification of American liberties and security . I can't believe in the ability of the American government to provide for its own people. I watched New Orleans left to drown. I can't believe that the American government works . I saw a rigged election lead to a devastated economy, the defacement of the American name worldwide and the utter dissolution of meaning behind the words "freedom" and "liberty." I believe in my country... but I don't believe in our government.

When I was young and traveling Europe, you could go anywhere and tell them you were American and they would smile and open their doors to you. Now, because of the actions of our government, when I travel the world I get foul looks and harsh retorts when I tell people where I am from. I want to believe again.

There was a time when our economy looked unstoppable. We had a president who pledged to better America and he did. Jobs grew, savings grew, and the deficit shrank. When our current president took office the budget was balanced and there was a surplus in the coffers. Now we are over $9.6 trillion dollars in debt... $9,600,000,000,000 in eight years!!! The vast majority of that money has gone into the pockets of businessmen with direct ties to either the president or the vice president. I want to believe again.

I'm not kidding myself... never has there been a time when Washington was totally honest. But the blatant lies, deception and trickery have got to stop! I want to believe again.

I want to believe in my government again. I want to believe in America again. Tonight, thanks to some good-natured heckling by a fellow American I work with, I broke down and participated in this election season for the first time. I watched Barack Obama's acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. I wanted to cry... not because I believe in him, but because I remember when I used to believe. I remember believing in change. I remember believing that the money and power that fuels Washington D.C. could be overcome by the American voter. I want to believe again.

I'm not pitching for one person or another... but I'm begging you... I am literally on my knees as I type and I am begging you to help bring our country back from this horrible place George W. Bush has led us. Get informed. Get involved. The last eight years only happened because too many people fell for campaign gimmicks and Orwellian marketing tricks. Only education and conversation can overcome those things. I have planned on staying as far away from this election year debacle as I possibly could... but if you'll get involved then I will, too. I'll participate simply on the blind faith that this time it may work. I'll participate if it helps convince even one of you to look past the traditional decoy issues like abortion, immigrant rights and gun control to find the actual pressing issues. There is a reason these three things are issues every election but never actually change: they're a distraction from real issues. This can only happen if we, as individuals, educate ourselves and then talk with our friends. If they, too, are educated then when we talk we will sharpen our ideas and our beliefs. If they are not, then maybe they will learn from you or, even better, maybe they will be inspired to go and learn for themselves. It was my friend at work, Charles, who told me it was my duty to be involved... even when I didn't want to talk politics. See, it works. We talked and now I'm involved. I wouldn't be if he hadn't talked to me. Please... America can't stand another 4 years like that past 8. Stand up... speak out... be heard.

Goodnight all...

it''s thursday night and all is well...

Hi all,

Well I'm coming to the close of my second week at work and I must say work is good. It seems my boss and the senior guy there really like my work. They just tossed me some drawings and said, "Here, design this." I've done a small 450 sq ft cottage and some details that they have the general idea for but ask me to design the particulars of. Today I designed a wall to hide a heating register. Tomorrow I will detail a set of stairs. It's not glamorous, but they seem to really like what I come up with. It seems like they're impressed with how fast I picked up the computer program since I've never used it before (3 days). They are pleased/surprised with how fast I work. They are pleased with the ideas I have for their work. It's a really relaxed environment... small office with usually a half dozen people in there working. I sat with the boss a couple days ago and he critiqued my cottage design and worked through it with me. He liked it and we spent an hour or so tweaking some details. I think he likes the way I think about design. In fact, he told me as much in the interview a few times. So I churned out a 3d model for him and sent him some images to use in a meeting with the client and the marketing consultants. He came back to me today and told me I did a good job and that the design and drawings I did worked really well. The boss liked it, the client seemed to like it (never can tell), and the marketing people really liked it. It was a small congratulations but it felt good, nonetheless. Like I said, it's not glamorous, but it's a great environment for me to work in and it's a satisfying job. I actually get to sit around all day and design... cool.

So tomorrow I will go in for a Friday that will likely end with someone bringing a sixer of beer at about 3:00. We'll sit and ride out the working day with a cold bottle at our desk. Last Friday was fun. Tomorrow ought to be, too. This weekend Katy starts school with some orientations and whatnot. She enjoys her new job which is sure to keep her busy between studio and class. She's getting over the latest theft. I have to do some bike maintenance and there's the ritual Saturday cleanup. I like weekends now. They actually mean something... free time! Okay... off to read myself to sleep. Hope all is well with you and yours.

Oh yeah, I've been meaning to give our new address to you all for awhile now...

#208-2851 Heather St.
Vancouver, BC
v5Z 0A2

I miss Peter and Nicholas and Steven and Suzy and Thomas. I forgot to get a family picture with or of them before I left... in fact, I don't think I have any pictures with the whole family.
That's sad.

more bad luck

I don't understand it. Vancouver is a nice place but there's just so much random theft. Katy started a new job today. We were really happy about it. On her first day, someone sneaked into the employee room and went through everyone's stuff, taking Katy's wallet, change purse, and phone. What jerks. As Katy put it, "why can't they be civilized about it like in Toronto? At least in Toronto, they take your money and leave you your life." So she had to cancel everything and we have to wait to buy her a new phone. She just got her bus pass and her student ID today. Gone. This sucks. What did we do to deserve all this? First Katy's computer, then my bike, now this. We like it here... but the random theft sucks. Sure makes it hard to settle into a place.

Jerks.

Stupid, stupid, jerks.

Stupid.

Jerks.

Apartment videos...

First look at our empty apartment...
I have to say that we had just driven for 12 hours through the mountains and were on edge as it was. Then the real estate lady took more than an hour to show up with our keys and when she got there she informed us that it was too late to move our stuff in according to condo rules and that we would have to wait until the next day. No fun. But we dealt with it.



Katy in a closet... I don't know why.



More of Katy in a closet... really, I didn't do it. She went in there on her own. I just film.



Out of the truck and into the middle of the living room... it's not even that much stuff but it sure looks like it.



First official tour...



To the Micals...



A look at Vancouver...



From Burrard Street Bridge...

Sproule and the Gang

Well, my new job is awesome. It's a really great environment and I'm already getting to do some minor design work. I get along really well with the whole office and I look forward to going to work in the mornings. It's nice getting back on a schedule that has me up bright and early in the morning and tired before midnight. All is well... coasting through to my first paycheck and then it's time to get some dishes and maybe a chair. Definitely a haircut. Never thought I'd be excited about getting dishes. Guess I should enjoy the part of my life where my wants are simple and easily obtained. Well, time to get going on my pleasant 10 minute bike ride to work. Bye all.

Eulogy to my carefree youth...

So today I begin my new job at Sproule and Associates.

Goodbye carefree college days.

Goodbye free time.

Goodbye student loans!!!

Oh so many pictures! [and videos!]

Well, we got our place unpacked and are all moved in here. I got a job Friday making really good money and I start Monday. That was a really big relief. I'll be working for a man named John Sproule at Sproule and Associates. (http://sproule-architects.com/) They're a small firm with about 8 people or so doing residential, commercial and resort work. It's a good scale for me... I don't have to design big tasteless skyscrapers and that's the important part. My office is easy to get to and is just a mile down the road. I went to school with one of the guys who works there, too. That's how I got my "in". It's really, really exciting for us... an adult job with adult pay doing actual architecture! They even hired me to be a designer and not a computer jockey! I'm excited to get started.

Otherwise, we're just trying to get settled in... you know, find our new coffee shop, bakery, grocery store, etc... explore, explore, explore! The weather has been nice and has only rained for a few of the days we've been here... it rains all winter, though, from what I'm told. We're preparing ourselves for that. Last night, Katy and I went downtown to celebrate my new job. We locked our bikes up to a steel railing at a busy intersection and went in to eat. When we came out, my bike was gone. They simply cut the lock (yes, on a busy street) and walked away with it... left the lock for me, even. It was a bummer. Luckily, Katy found a Craigslist add for a guy with a used bike and I bought a cheap bike this morning and a lock that was a bit more than the bike. This is the second time I've had a bike stolen... it won't happen to me again. I have to be building up some karma points somewhere with this. So we got over that tragedy quickly... and now we both have good [read: expensive] bike locks.

Well, that's about it for now. I'll throw some pictures and videos up now. Until next time...

Ok, I've posted videos on a different page so this one doesn't laod too slow. To see trip videos click here.



































*Look closely at the back of this trailer. You might have to click on the picture to blow it up.














More photos later... Mountains and Vancouver yet to go!

Made it!

Hi all,

Well, we made it to Vancouver and have moved into our place. We have no internet and therefore no phone but hope to have that remedied next week. More to follow later... just letting you know we're alive.