elfin lakes

up through lush forest, across a red heather meadow, up a mountainside then across a bluff, glaciers and snowcapped mountains all around, howe sound down below. had a splash in the lake, checked out elfin shelter and campground for next time. wow. so beautiful.

david bateman's round number birthday

the number is very round. ashok hosts cheesy dinner cruise in beautiful english bay. martinis move from mango to dirty, wayne newton croons, betty and wilma are unspeakable. castaways, in order of appearance: ashok mathur, david bateman, hiromi goto, susanda yee, larissa lai

Cheakamus Lake

Went camping up at Cheakamus Lake last week. Peaceful old growth, icy glacial lake, chatty chipmunks, still quiet night with brilliant stars. And the occasional airplane roaring overhead. Is there any such thing as away?

explosions, beautiful and hideous

Rita sends this link:

http://mazenkerblog.blogspot.com/

This war is a horror show. But the idea that ordinary people can use the blog to communicate what is really happening, beyond all the TV and radio bullshit is great.

It's Powell Street Festival and Pride this weekend in Vancouver. All the freaky children are out on the world, connecting, talking, dancing, making art. A few of us had dinner last night at Hapa Izakaya, to celebrate Roy's OOC and to spend time with Monika Gagnon and Scott McFarlane who are in town for a few days at the end of a research trip and teaching stint for the First Nations Studies program at UBC Okanagan. At the end of the night we went up to Ashok's roof to watch the last of the fireworks. Weird how related technologies can be used for such different purposes. We celebrated the festive moment, but we thought of Beirut at the same time.

Big birthday dinner with my grandma tonight. Lots of extended family in town.