CBC Information Morning, Steve Brockley, Pacifico, Waverly Loop, the Market and Biking in Bedford

So a lot has been going down recently. My in-hospital clinical sessions have re-started. Just seven more weeks until I get paid for doing this. Needless to say, I'm working the equivalent of full time and am getting paid $0/hour.

This feels like post-modern slavery.

Meeting a lot of people at the hospital though. Couple major cuties that I am working with! But let's keep this professional. One of our patients came back from the Operating Room the other day. It was obvious that this person was still a little loopy from the drugs as they were talking in a very convincing Australian accent (not from/never been to Australia). When they saw me lurking in the room cleaning things up, they proceeded to blurt out (to one of the other nurses): "Who is that? Why... why it's a little digeridoo!" Aussie accent all the way. In this case, I was the digeridoo. I thought it was hilarious!

Will keep you posted on other school-related going's on.

My bike group and I have been circulating a petition for an Active Transportation corridor that would span the Halifax Peninsula. It's been a lot of work to go around and collect signatures. We have over 500 now, and it's climbing slowly everyday. To help promote this, we I did a brief (maybe too brief) interview with the CBC Information Morning folks. It was pretty cool to be on the radio, and they had a good view of where our proposed corridor will end up! However, I would have liked to get to the kernel of the issues surrounding the benefits of cycling. Not enough time to do so however.

Here is a picture of CBC radio's inner lair!

A few days ago, my new roomates took me out to see one of their friends perform. This guys name is Steve Brockley, and I thought he was pretty great! Kind of reminded me of Timber Timbre a little bit (slightly Macabre). The three of us drove our bikes to Just Us! Cafe on Spring Garden Road to watch the show. I bought a steamed milk with a shot of caramel. It was a pretty radical evening.

Last weekend, I went to Pacifico for the first time in maybe four or five years. To be honest, I was having a good time... until some skanks and their fatass boyfriends told the bouncers I was dancing next to them and got me kicked out. What a bunch of assholes! So after spending like $40 there through the night, I was just tossed out, no ifs, ands or buts.

I am never going back to Pacifico again. Neither am I going to suggest it to anyone considering going.

The weather has been pretty great recently! I took this opportunity to take my bike out to do the Waverly loop, which is a 50k run around the Harbour (through Bedford), out to Fall River (nearly) and back through Dartmouth via Waverly Road. It is my favourite route! I've done it in less than 1:30 before, however the head winds on this day made the entire trip VERY rough! I was not the only one on the roads that day though. A good 20 cyclists were out enjoying the great weather! It was nice to see them passing me by (going in the opposite direction).

Here is a shot taken from Lake Banook in the Dart.

Jabes and I spent the day together trying to collect more signatures for our petition today. We had a great time! The market was bumpin, as usual, and we got a lot of support. I hope these folks start writing in to their councillors about this!

Outside the Market, this trio was casting a spell on folks! They were pretty great!

Finally, Jabes and I went out for a nice bike ride today! It was a 30 min ride not very far, but we took our time, as Jabes was still getting used to the bike we made together last summer. It still rides like the wind!

We found that a TON of people in Bedford were out enjoying the weather today! It was really great to me to see so many people being active. Thank God car culture hasn't completely choked us out! More people need to enjoy the outdoors though, or else my job is going to get a hell of a lot more difficult.

This park in Bedford (pics below) was pretty amazing. It has a good 1.5 km trail right next to the water, a nice playground area for the kiddies, lots of green space. Would definitely recommend that everyone in HRM spend some time in Bedford checking this place out!

Sometimes HRM staff can design and plan for very awesome green-space! This is something I think we should thank them for a little more. I think I will write a letter to the Coast about this.

Sorry to make this so long and neglect you, my darlings! I will try to make more posts, and get batteries for my actual camera (right now, I am using my iPhone).

The Hole, Jenn Grant, Timber Timbre

What an exciting end of week I've been having. The guest speaker we had in from Portland was incredible. If only Halifax was as proactive about cycling issues. As soon as I'm able to get those videos digitized, I will post a link to them.

Before I go further: I have a little bit of an update to show you, my pretties! The hole is being filled! The Trillium is really starting to come together. I pass the whole weekly on my bike, and to be honest, I've joined the habit of my fellow neighbors. First I get off my bike and take slow careful steps to the edge. When I'm close enough to the fence, I reach out and curl my fingers around the cold metal mesh and take a long, hard look down.

I think I wouldn't mind living here when it's done.

But I went to a show last night with my friend, Jables. It was part of HFX Pop Explosion 2009. The artists of the night were Timber Timbre and Jenn Grant. Jenn was marvelous! She came out in the audience to play her last song, and I was able to snag some very neat photo's of her while she was closeby. A couple are below. I really like how they turned out.

I used to go to Jenn's shows on a weekly basis. There was one night that she performed at Queen Elizabeth High School before it closed down (Jabes came out with me on that night as well). Anyways, this was a CD launch party. I really liked the show, but my heart broke a little because I knew she was going to fly away and do tours all over the place. I was pretty bang on. Up until tonight, I hadn't seen her at a show for nearly 3 years.

I was very happy to see her again.

The opener however was very impressive! Timber Timbre was the name of the band. I haven't heard anything like it. It seems like they concentrate meticulously on the most miniscule things in their songs. They are very good at establishing a very macabre tone in their audience, not just through the lyrics of the songs, but through the composition as well. I will try to set up a link to the recordings I subversively and secretly made during the show last night.

I saw a great band on Friday night as well! They were called the Stogies, and in the right hands, they will make a big impact in Canada music scene. I'd suggest you check out their MySpace page, but the recordings they have on there really do not do them justice. If you do check it out, make a point to write down the time and location of their next show... go to WalMart and buy a protective face mask and birth control... and then attend the show. Why the face mask and BC, you ask? Because if not, the sheer awesomeness of their sound will blow your face off and get you pregnant!

Good night everyone!