Something to smile about...

I was walking home from my neighborhood coffee shop today playing my harmonica and I came up behind 8 little preschoolers and their teacher out for a walk. The kids were taken by my music and each of them danced their way down the sidewalk as I followed slowly behind. It was hilarious and adorable to watch them all shake their little bums and rock their heads back and forth as they skip-walked to the rhythm. It's not much, but it made my day. Then, as they turned a corner to head back to their school, the whole group of them gave me a cute group "thank you" as I went on my way.

There's always the simple things.

The passing of a legend

I learned this morning that yesterday, Helio Gracie, the founder of Brazilian jiu jitsu, passed away in his sleep at his ranch in Itaipava, Brazil. He was 95 years old.

Helio learned traditional Japanese jiu jitsu by watching his brother as a young boy. Helio was too small to execute many of the moves and so he came up with his own variation that gave the smaller man the advantage by using physics and leverage over power. Helio passed his art onto his four sons and the Gracie name spread across the World. His son, Rorion (pronounced Horion), is credited with the idea for having the first Ultimate Fighting Championship and his son, Royce (pronounced Hoyce) won the first two UFC tournaments, among a long chain of other accolades. His other two sons, Rickson and Royler (yes, pronounced Hickson and Hoyler), have also competed in mixed martial arts and are founders of their own Gracie schools.

Helio Gracie's fighting art has changed the world, both in the fighting world and out. Many people owe their self-esteem, their health, their passion and sometimes even their life to this remarkable art. I am sad that he has passed, but I am given hope that he died in his sleep the way he wanted to. He lived a long and full life. If we could all be so lucky...

Rest in peace, Helio. You will forever be remembered.

A Shel Silverstein moment...

I've been playing a tune on my harmonica that I couldn't quite place. Then it hit me. I sang it in a third or fourth grade production (Mom?). It's a tune put to this poem by Shel Silverstein...

If you are a dreamer,come in.
If you are a dreamer,
a wisher, a liar,
a hoper, a prayer,
a magic-bean-buyer.
If you're a pretender,
come sit by my fire,
for we have some
flax-golden tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in!

THere's always Mars...

Check this out!Astronomers have found out the surface of Mars is covered with buried glaciers. Not the whole thing, obviously, but one is three times the size of Los Angeles and a half mile thick. I dunno... I think that's pretty cool.

Glaciers on Mars

(BTW, that's the closest thing to a job opportunity I've found today)

I don't really hate my life...

I was just cooking dinner and got rice all over my hands. As I washed the grains of rice down the drain, I remembered just how much worse it can be.

I'll be okay.

This is my life now...

Got this email this morning from my most recent job hope...

Hi Michael Thank you for applying for the position of Visual Coordinator. Although you interviewed very well, I believe you are over-qualified for the position and therefore; I have chosen another applicant. I wish you luck in your job hunt, I am sure with your work ethic you will find something suitable. Take care,
XXXXXXX

I hate my life.

Morning in America...

From Seattle Post-Intelligencer

President Barrack Hussein Obama's Inauguration speech

The full text of Barack Obama's speech given before more than a million watchers on Washington's National Mall

1:28 PM CST, January 20, 2009

My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land--a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today, I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America--they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit, to choose our better history, to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted--for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things--some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions--that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act--not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions--who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them--that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works--whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account--to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day--because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control--and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart--not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort--even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus--and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West--know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment--a moment that will define a generation--it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends--honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism--these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility--a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence--the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed--why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to [the] future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive ... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet" it.

America: In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

Happy No More Bush Day!!!!

Such a happy day! It is mind blowing how many people have made their way to DC for this inauguration. I wish I were anywhere in the US right now... anywhere I could celebrate amongst people who felt the same pain and now the same relief as me.

Today is the dawn of our new hope! Today things begin anew. Today we invite a new man with new policies and and a new vision to lead our nation. Today we become American citizens again and hopefully can shed the mantle of "American consumers" that we somehow were draped with over the past 8 years.

Today is the last day of the past. Today is the first day of the future.

Discover Karate

That'll teach me...

Katy made it through her food poisoning alright and is recovering quickly. That'll teach me to poison my fiance. Just doesn't work out. So today she's back to her school work and I'm back to the job hunt. I have an interview tomorrow that I'm hopeful for and I'm expecting to hear back from others soon. I've decided that I've got to take my schooling off of my resume for most of these jobs I'm aplying to. I think I haven't heard back from anyone because there's a line on my resume that says I have a masters degree. I don't think they look at that and think, "Hey look, here's someone who can finish tasks and work independantly and understands how to accomplish goals." That's what I had hoped for. No. I'm not sure what it is that goes through their mind, but it's not that. Wish me luck... here we go again.

Quivering chicken blues...

Well, Katy had some bad leftovers for lunch yesterday so we had a long, sleepless night of salmonella olympics. I think she's okay now. The sun came out full force today and we got to go for a short walk around our building. It was glorious to feel the sun. It's hard to adequately convey the emotional impact long term cloud cover has on you. Anyway, we feel recharged. Katy is asleep on my shoulder now. She kept her soup down for lunch so I think we're in the clear. Thank god.

sunny fog

Well it hasn't rained here in a week, the old President has said his goodbyes and the new President is on a train headed to DC. Besides not having a job yet, things are pretty darn good, I'd say. I've been hard at the job hunt and have some leads, but no paycheck as of yet. I have an interview Tuesday with a furniture store that has need of someone to create and arrange displays for them. I'm also expecting to hear from a picture framing shop that needs part time help and a grocery store who need part time help. I'm still hopeful for the architecture job that I applied for a couple of weeks ago. I think they may start contacting people this coming week... I'm very, very hopeful for that one. But every unemployed architect like me is applying for that job. We'll see how lucky I am.

Otherwise, all is normal and well. I really need to clean the house this weekend. I'm tired of being home all the time cleaning so I've slacked off lately. This weekend we bring out the big guns... the MOP! Katy's doing well at school and seems to be finding her stride nicely, though it keeps her at school 50-60 hours a week.

Oooh! I just looked outside and the sun is out! Ok, gonna go walk in it before it disappears. (Today Katy and I discovered a new weather phenomena called "sunny fog." It's as if the weather man told the clouds to make way for the sun and instead of leaving, they just lowered to the ground... so you can see a white dot in the sky behind the clouds. Sunny fog.)

Pass the motivation please...

Where has all my motivation gone? This job search is soul draining. I'm not feeling sad or sorry for myself... more so I'm feeling dull and lifeless. Another day, another "resume" sent in to some $12 an hour job that I'm not going to hear back from. To accompany the flagging economy, employers have lowered their wages because there's now a stagnating pool of unemployed tradesmen and workers out there. And yet, still, the jobs must be going fast because I can't seem to get a callback from anyone! Not impressed... not impressed at all. Well, I figure it's like fishing... I have to get a bite eventually. Just have to keep trying. Man I'm tired of trying.

Can't find a job, but at least I have time to blog...

Well, no work today. This is becoming rather burdensome. I'm doing all I can but somehow I don't feel as though I'm giving it my all... mostly because I still don't have a job. Looking for a job for 2 months without success has a way of making you think you're doing something wrong. But I've got applications all over the place... I've applied for everything from CEO of Neuro-Rocket-Science Inc. to tool-holding assistant #2 for John Whazzisface Drywallers. Ok, I made that first one up... but how cool a job title would that be? Yeah, and I made up the second one, too. Anyway, I'm not distraught... just stressed out. It's hard looking for work in this climate. Trade wages have taken a big hit and I am constantly running across ads by unemployed construction workers who are terribly insulted by the pitiful wages being offered for work. There are a lot of unemployed tradesmen out there so it's going to be a matter of getting someone's attention on paper or in an email before you can ever meet them face to face. Bah... I hate looking for jobs. I've started branching out to look in retail... that's far less appealing to me than construction work for lots of reasons... but mostly because I hate the thought of having to sell anyone anything. I'm hoping to find someone looking for a night stocker but even those jobs seem oddly absent from the classifieds. I'm trying to get some art work together so maybe I can scrape a dollar or two out of those. It's not really a solid economic plan, more like I'm hoping I can make a little money off of my hobby... but finding a venue to show work period is almost impossible, not to mention trying to sell something once it's showing. My hope is to prepare three or four pieces to present to my local coffee shop and hope they'll hang them on their mostly blank walls. I've also been trying to convince myself to go downtown and stand on a corner playing harmonica. Not that busking would pay a bill, but it might keep me busy for awhile and get me enough money for a coffee. But that hasn't happened yet, either. I'm something of a coward when it comes to playing in front of people, still... much better than I used to be, but still not over it enough to stand on public and play for change. I sense that coming real soon.

But, all is well. I'm not lost to my despair... a job will come sooner than later. The weather will change in a couple of months. Life will go on and I'll make it through this, like everything else. At least I have Katy.

Today's favorite job posting...

Ah, Monday... the job hunt continues...

"_____ _____ is looking for someone to dance in a chicken suite 4 days a week for 4 hour blocks. Please attach your resume to this posting."

Yes, this is an actual job listing for Vancouver.

No, I'm not making this up.

Getting to the bottom of the barrel...

Well, today I have reached a new level in my job hunt. This morning I sent out four applications for night time line cook positions and three applications to grocery stores. Yesterday's highlights were an ad for "drivers" (don't know what they need driven but I can drive so I applied), and a few retail positions.

Things can only get better from here...

...right?

update on my sanity

Now it's raining... and snowing.

Oh the rain...

Oh how the rain
doeth soak my very soul.
My boots aren't the only thing
going squish
with every
miserable
drenched
step
I
take.

I stand in the rain for 8 hours
head down
building a roof
or cleaning the trash.
It all pays the same.
The rain beads
on my waterproof coat
until it finally figures a way through.
Waterproof, my ass.

Squish.

I walk to get groceries
but I must walk fast
because my water repellent bag
only seems to repel water
for about ten minutes.

Squish.

I sit inside
wishing I could be outside
until I venture outside
and only want to be inside.

Squish!

The rain soaks my judgment
and my senses
so that friends become foes
over stupid little woes
like where the coffee cups really go.

Squish!

Oh how the rain
doeth dampen my joy
and water the seeds
of discontent
in my mind.

Squish!

I miss the days
when rain was what happened
between sunny days
to make things grow
and keep the fire danger down.
Where did that rain go?

Recession Job Prospects

Spent another evening looking for work. Found this job listing on Craigslist [really]. Sums things up pretty well...

For Wednesday morning - afternoon

Looking for 2 to 4 experienced guys to help dig 2 trenches

60 feet long, 2 feet deep, 2 feet wide

Prefer if you have your own shovels or spades

If you need a ride, will pick up at bus stop at Park Royal - prefer if you have your own vehicle

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! We made it home from Toronto on Tuesday and for New Years we went to our friends' house in North Vancouver. We had a great time... they made us perogies for dinner and we drank wine and loosely played a board game as we laughed our night away. Now we're having cinnamon rolls and coffee... mmm, what a way to start a new year!

As we said last night in a toast, here's to everything getting better in 2009!