iChump

Yes, I did it. Like millions of other lemmings, I spent many hundreds to get a device I have no need for, because it is bloody cool. I got an iPad, rightfully described as "the world's most expensive rectangle", but a pretty magical rectangle nonetheless.

I'd been pretty good. It's been at least three years since I bought any gadgetry. I've sat out the iPhone revolution, though I've been very intrigued by the touch interface. But things are getting interesting with tablets, and I can imagine the features of what I really want: a high-def screen (at least 1080p) for a good reading experience, but maybe 5 inches for portability; a video camera for conferencing; the Android OS for openness. This will undoubtedly happen in the next year or two.

But I just couldn't wait. I've been dying to get immersed in the touch experience for years, and Apple does experience better than anyone.

I had buyer's remorse before I opened the box. Even as I was buying it. Because there is no way to justify this purchase.

But it is pretty amazing. It's like a little window that can show you anything you want to see, and you just pick it up and put it where you will. I love that it comes on and off instantly. And I love that it has no moving parts (if you overlook the few little buttons and the little speaker).

I hardly want to turn it off. And even after a day I'm noticing some changes. I can easily fill any spare time. I can look something up in seconds; it really fulfills that ancient promise of "information at your fingertips". But reading a book seems really hi-def now; I caught myself marveling at the detail of the lettering of a library book this morning.

Massive

Last night a mate and I saw Massive Attack. They're one of my favourite bands, and I've been following them for about fifteen years - one of those bands for whom I'd blindly purchase any release they put out, and are still making interesting music decades into their career.

I rarely go to concerts. The tickets are so costly that you can't really go casually. When this concert was announced I started talking myself out of it like I usually do, and then went, Wait a minute. I should do this, this time.

The concert was outdoors, in Stanley Park, rain or shine. Unfortunately this week we had lots of rain, and last night was no different. I wore a weatherproof jacket and rain pants, and my mate brought plastic bags to sit on, though we ended up standing the whole time like most everyone else. But as it went on, the rain gave a bit of dramatic gravitas to the event, in a silly way. When the lighting was a soft steady glow, as in the ironically appropriate Teardrop, the rain gave a soft haze, an extension of the smoke machines backstage. And you could feel more intense by shaking the water off your head when banging it with the beats.

Martina Topley Bird opened, a long time collaborator. Her set was quite simple and refreshing. She built her songs up loop by loop with an effects pedal, typically a few vocal loops, some human beatbox sounds, and then sang and played one instrument above it. For one song she got us to shout on a beat and made a loop of that.

Massive had a great light show: bands of LEDs that were used to display lots of data and graphics. One song displayed what seemed to be a transcription of military radio chatter of a Middle East mission, including the confusion of whether or not to take out a target. Another showed elements of national flags, interspersed with corporate logos, and gradually melded them. Their sound system was also impressively clear, with gut-punching bass and little ringing.

For electronic music, I was impressed at how little of the performances were sequenced. Two live drummers (one acoustic and one electronic kit), bassist and guitarist, a keyboard or two I couldn't even see, and a few effects boxes. I was curious to see which, if any, of their varied vocal collaborators would join them. It was great to see Horace Andy; Martina joined them for the songs she sings on their new album; and another vocalist sang the early Shana Nelson songs.

I was also surprised by how powerful some of the songs could be live. They're very good at building up to a climax, and this was great to experience live and loud. Favourites for me were Risingson, Angel, and Unfinished Sympathy.

Road Trip: BC 101

With two days of nice weather, no tedious family to annoy me, and a new car, it seemed my destiny to do a road trip this weekend. Anything else would have been unthinkable.

I came up with a circular route taking me through a variety of landscapes, sort of a British Columbia 101. Most license plates here bear the legend "Beautiful British Columbia". Some even say, "The Best Place on Earth". I won't argue.

I started heading east on 1, through Burnaby, northern Surrey, Abbotsford, Chiliwack, and Hope. Just past Hope, I turned north on 5. (Insert "beyond Hope" joke here.) Leaving the agricultural valley, I began climbing into the mountains.


Before long I was high enough to get snowed on.


The mountains got smaller and the trees thinned as 5 took me right into Kamloops, where I spent Saturday night. Here's a shot from its waterfront park, at the junction of the North and South Thompson Rivers.


After breakfast Sunday morning, I got this shot of Victoria Street and its wide sidewalks and outdoor cafe areas.


Heading west on 1, I saw a wider stretch of the Thompson River.


At Cache Creek, I went north on 97, then soon turned west again onto 99. The stretch between Lillooet and Penticton is some of the best driving I've experienced. The road fell to a single lane, and its quality varied widely from short stretches of gravel to fresh tarmac. But for nearly the entire stretch, I had my lane to myself, with no traffic ahead or behind. For 100 kilometers there are no petrol stations, no restaurants, and (probably) no houses, and the road is too unfriendly for big rigs, so the only other traffic seemed to be travelers like me.





The mountains grew taller and the trees thickened.



At Penticton, sort of a northern gateway and starting point for lots of outdoor activities, I was once again among rows of condos and expensive cafes. Then it was south through Whistler, Squamish, past Horseshoe Bay, through North Vancouver and back into Burnaby.

Day Off

With the womenfolk out of town this week, I took today off to make a long weekend. I wasn't sure what all I would do (I'm still figuring out what to do with the remaining two days) but I sure had a good day for it: almost perfectly blue skies, which hasn't happened much lately. Maybe not since last fall? On a day like this, you just can't take a bad picture in Vancouver. You could point a camera at some dog poo on the sidewalk, and later, looking at the pictures, you'd go, Wow, that's some nice looking dog poo.

I started my day getting an omelet on Commercial Drive, because on a weekend, those places are always full and I'm too impatient to wait. After that, I made things up. I took the SeaBus to North Vancouver, then took the bus to the Grouse Mountain base. I'd wanted to take the trail uphill, but it was closed, and I didn't want to pay $40 for a gondola ride up and back. I headed back to the waterfront and walked up and down Lonsdale for a while. Then I crossed the water back, hoping to get a drink at the top of the Empire Landmark Hotel on Robson and enjoy its view, but the restaurant wasn't open yet. Being close to Stanley Park, I walked around Lost Lagoon, heading back toward Denman, then headed to Gastown for ales and an early dinner (the Alibi Room wasn't open, so I revisited the Irish Heather).

These are some of the better shots.

Paved

Yesterday the street in front of my office was resurfaced. Coincidentally, the street in front of our house was also resurfaced on the same day. Weird, you know? If I drove to work I'd probably be pretty excited.

Sunday Drive: Squamish

Today we took a Sunday Drive north on the Sea to Sky Highway. It wasn't the best day of weather but we went anyway. We intended to go to Whistler and perhaps a bit beyond to Pemberton. But after passing Squamish, after which the road turned inland, the low cloud cover obscured the mountaintops and we realized the best scenery was behind us, so we turned around.

We caught lunch at Howe Sound Brewing. I've enjoyed their beers in pubs locally, so it was nice to see the source. I had a pizza that included chicken that had been marinated in their IPA. You can't see it in this exposure, but outside the windows is a nice mountain view, near the waterfront.



I got a few shots on the way back. Much of this road was re-paved for the Olympics so it was a pleasure to drive.

Multicultural Dinner

Last week Sarah's school had a "Multicultural Dinner", a fundraiser and dinner. There were raffles, student performances, and a big potluck dinner. Students at the school are from all over the world, so we had many cultures represented in the student art and food choices. Margo and I volunteered. I agreed to take pictures; these are some of the 200 I took that evening.

We were among the first to arrive, and did a tour of the artwork made by one of the classes.



Margo's contribution was Shepherd's Pie, from England, on the right.


School cookbooks were being sold. Margo contributed 3 recipes.


Singing "O Canada" ...