Sickening.

It really is sickening - first a stomach ulcer, well, second, a cold, which isn't nearly as bad. I took drugzzz and the ulcer is gone, but I guess it lowered my immune system 'cause I caught this cold. I rarely get colds.

Anywayy.

Here, why not liven this blog up with a reallly good youtube video? Filmed in one take at the UQAM, it's getting pretty popular on Youtube!

Don't be a stranger

So.. um.. I remember saying "Don't be a stranger" to someone. The thing is, I can't remember WHO. Which sucks because if I'm saying "Don't be a stranger" to someone, it means that they're cool, ya know? And well, I'd hate to be a stranger to them, hahaha.

Shiz.

Hi Alice.

Hey Oh

Hey guys,

I've got a present on the way. But it's for me. And it's being shipped from the U.S. A neat little addition to my... collection. But you don't know what my collection is - that's because there is no collection, I'm not collecting anything, I just thought I'd buy this object and then I can use it. Great huh?

But I'm not selfish, no no. A, I know you don't read this blog, but I know you'll be really happy when you receive that giga-bar of chocolate in the mail - fine swiss chocolate, the very same type of chocolate that I once tried to make you believe was given to you by J, but it was a clever ploy. I bribed J to give you that chocolate bar, but I guess you knew that because she told you.

You have to be trusted by the people that you lie to//So that when they turn their backs on you//You'll get the chance to put the knife in

No no, harsh words are not meant for anyone! I just really remembered that clever line from Pink Floyd's Dogs. I mean, I guess if I had a lot of enemies, and I was a murderer, I'd follow it. Or maybe if I was a vigilante. But I'm not, so I guess... Dani California, rest in peace!

Am I really random? You know, a lot of things are random. Some things aren't random, like, a "Hello, how are you?" "Good thanks and you?" isn't random, because it's practically a reflex.

But asking someone out of the blue what kind of pie they like, that's pretty random, and actually a new hobby of mine. I mean, I'm not a pie fanatic, but when I'm bored and there are people around I don't know and they don't seem too preoccupied, I'll ask them what their favourite kind of pie is. Now obviously, this isn't really vital information, but if maybe one day I decide to do something productive and I end up keeping in contact with these strangers, wouldn't it be great if I could bake them a pie without wondering "Gosh, I wonder what kind of pie they like...".

Now I know this is an incredibly unlikely scenario, but life is filled with an incredible amount of unlikely scenarios that all fit together somehow, wouldn't you say?

I've got another thought that I want to explain here, but that's enough for tonight. But so I don't forget, I'm going to code my thought here into this blog so I don't forget it for next time: "Follow one person and witness the chain of reactions they unleash."

Good. Thanks for reading.

2011/10/04 Edit: Edited for simple privacy.

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Shambles

noun.: a condition of great disorder

I just felt like knowing the exact definition of that word - have no fear, my life is not in shambles. (:

Or maybe you really hate me and you wished my life was in shambles. and this blogpost has made you curse me under your breath. I dunno.

So it's the very beginning of September, and all around me, I see all these people going back to school, be it Elementary, Middle, High or University, and I think to myself, geez, I sort of wish I was doing something. See I have a hard time doing things I'd rather not do. I guess I need more willpower.

It was easy before, say, in grade ten - I just knew that next year, I'd be at it again, except grade 11. And then again for grade 12.

And after Grade 12, hell, it was also pretty easy, just do Katimavik!

And after Katimavik... wait what, university? But I'm not ready! Well, besides the fact I didn't get accepted for September anyway.

So get a job, Gabe! Get a job!

Right now, go update your resume! Do it!

Okay okay Charles, I'll do it... I'll do it tomorrow. Okay? Tomorrow, I'LL DO IT TOMORROW. I won't make as many mistakes if I do it tomorrow.

I get jealous of the people leaving. A bit. They're doing something, they're learning stuff. I'm not.

But I'm alive, and I'm doing things. That's a start, right?

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My first quest

My first quest in Katimavik, or goal if you will, was to never have to make bread. I had read before going into the program that House Managers were required to make bread for the group.

I've never really been much of a bread eater. Of course, I eat it, but I don't notice it if I don't have it. I've met countless number of people who need their buns with their spaghetti. Most people in my group were like that.

I was house manager for a total of eight times - that's eight whole weeks - in my Katimacareer. Not once did I ever make a loaf of bread.

A couple times I think A.G. and B.V. made me knead the bread they were preparing, but nothing more.

Of course, a fair share of the group called me out on my lack of bread-age - saying I was selfish for not wanting to make the damn bread for the group, and that it was a really stupid and pointless "quest".

But you know what, I may be the only Katimakid to have finished the program and to have -never- made bread in this age of bread-neediness. And I'm proud of myself.

Also, you may be interested in this kneadless bread recipe I found which prompted this post, haha. I might have even succombed to it during Katimavik had I known about it.

http://boiledcorn.blogspot.com/2009/08/no-knead-bread.html

Edited for private reasons.

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Si tu l’as, tu l’as

And if you don't have it, you sure as hell don't have it.

Feeling a bit nostalgic these days - yeah, I miss my Katimagroup.

And it was all true - after you come back from doing 9 months of doing stuff, you feel like you're wasting away. Even just doing a goddamn house meeting is stuff compared to the lifestyle which so quickly was brought back after settling back home.

Nothing will ever come close to the 9 month lifestyle I lived. School, university? Not a chance.

Sure, nothing's -really- stopping me from going out and doing stuff, but there's no sense of urgency or responsibility for going out. And there isn't much of a sense of satisfaction out of anything I do end up doing.

I do have the Fan Expo to look forward to this weekend, that's a complete three days of wake-up, take subway to Convention Centre and spend the entire day doing really exciting stuff. Maybe that'll energize me again? Haha. If anything I can get a kick out of little midgets with tophats on bicycles.

Thinkin' of going down to see a Jazz gig by an old acquaintance of mine tonight. We'll see.

I'm also working on a certain project that might bring a smile to a few old friends as well.

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Go Leafs Go!

So, taking the TTC home from Gandhi's house provided a few seconds of entertainment as I was walking by the last part of the train that I had just exited at St. Clair West. There was this fat guy with a huge Leafs jersey on with facepaint on and a massive hat yelling at the top of his lungs "GO LEAFS GO!" in a rhythmic manner. He was at the end of the train and facing everyone in his section, and he was just there going at it, flailing his arms while chanting.

I could hear him from like halfway down the station, and I thought it was pretty funny. The people in the same section as him probably didn't find it nearly as funny after a while, haha.

Of course, considering that the hockey season was over a month or two ago made this appearance rather unlikely. Maybe I'm unaware of some announcement or something? I dunno.

Currently reading - Watership Down.

I love rabbits.

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My love, do you sleep?

Do I sleep?

Do I dream?

No and no.

For the past week or so, I haven't slept. Well, I have, but it's not real sleep - it's the fake, light kind where you're conscious that you're in your bed but you have no sense of time.

Dreams? Well, I know I get them, it's just that I don't remember them. I used to dream plenty (that is, I used to remember plenty), but now... well, I don't.

Correlation? Obviously - if I don't get into a deep sleep, I can't dream. Now, even once in a while, when I do get a deep sleep (i.e. passing out at 6 am or something), I don't remember a dream.

So, that's half my life there.

The other half? It's pretty awesome - sometimes. Last week, Gandhi came over for a small Katimagetogether. And then a coupla days after - surprise surprise - K & D arrive from over yonder for a place to stay, and we have more Katimatimes.

And then - what's this? Gandhi decides to have a bigger Katimagetogether at his house? Oh sweet, so we all show up there, along with T, M, and C for an even bigger Katimaparty aka celebration of a couple birthdays. Hella fun.

It's actually been an exciting week, and I would say the positives outweigh the not so pleasant negatives. It's a fine rollercoaster, but Anxiety Attacks are really, really not cool.

Another negative is L being... mad at me, but I don't know why, they're all jumbled reasons - and all on my birthday, too. Now I'm not going to say that birthdays veto everything, but really, since when is not giving in to peer pressure such a blasphemy? Well hey, the birthday pie is tasty at least.

19! Expensive lonely bar errands to come? Ha Ha Ha.

... Some people know me enough to know that it'll probably happen.

Anyway, happy birthdays to Augusters and I sign out.

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Train No. 2

The train slithers

through the woodlands

But it also rocks

the sides shake

-ominously

The trees lurch forward

-tentatively

In the mind's eye, I see

a ghost train bounce off

hit the trees

and explode

into a multitude

of shelled pieces

Fast forward

turns out it's not a ghost train

Anguish; screams, yells, heat

intense heat

A Titanic-esque pose

The engineers refuse to leave

The upturned wreck; people inside

The panic; the burning heat

Slowly, but not surely, an escape

walking corpses; the lashing heat

Nothing to claim them except

Night, fire and wood

Too many trees

As everything starts to be consumed

They walk, no clear sense of direction

Away from the burning death trap

Away from the carnage

Away from the stench

Away...

Modelos

I'm a junkie.

I don't know exactly what kind, a special kind I think, because I'm not a junkie to any specific one thing.

I mean, you can easily tell who Crack Junkies are, and who Sports Junkies are, but me? You can't identify me.

I'm a junkie all right, a chameleon junkie. A person seeing me stay up till 5 am might think I'm an Insomniac Junkie, but then the next day they'll see me listening to CBC Radio One all day long, so they'll think I'm a CBC Radio One Junkie. But what if they saw me lurking around at the Wychwood Barns late at night, they'd think I was a lurker Junkie, but I don't go there every night.

Let's look at the Urban Dictionary definition of a Junkie, shall we? There are many, an accepted one would be:

Junk-ie –noun Informal. Generally, junkie (in terms of drug abuse) applies to someone addicted to a narcotic-- such as heroin, morphine, opium, codeine, and methadone.

So am I a Junkie? In the informal sense yes, because my body seeks out drugs, and then produces its own.

Ha, a real Junkie would scoff at me.

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My room.

Look, aside from living in my parent's basement (hey, I'm only 18!), I'm having a relatively alright lifestyle.

Okay, so I may be overdosing on Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana (I have a couple posters in my room... + a bonus Tinkerbell poster), but I mean, I love her songs, they're so badass.

My setup is really cool. I have these big stereo speakers (surround sound baby), my new computer is ready for pick-up and I cleaned up the bar (which is also technically in my room). Miley really sounds great on the speakers too.

I'm doing a bunch of stuff these days. I have a YMCA membership, so I drop by whenever I can. There's fantastic weather (alternating between sunshine and heavy rain, I love it) so I bike around a lot. And I of course spend too much time at E's house, but that's been a habit of mine for many years now anyway.

I feel pretty relaxed, I don't have too much stress (yet...) and I'm not as lazy as I thought I would be. Right now, there are these potatoes baking in the oven, but they're special: Hasselbach potatoes! Which means they're cut thinly and you put stuff in them and it looks really quite lovely.

Yes, I know baking a bunch of potatoes isn't exactly a mean feat, but you know, it makes my parents jealous that I'm more creative than them, haha.

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Hiatus.

Terminated.

Katimavik is over.
It was a spectacular finish, filled with drama, tears, cognitive dissonance and a loss of a group living environment.

So Katimavik teaches you a ton of things, one of the biggest ones is reflecting.

So, at 4:30 am on a dull Monday morning, I will do just that.

Katimavik taught me that I can't get along with everyone.
Katimavik taught me that you can do things you can't normally do because you don't live with 9 rowdy teenagers.
Katimavik taught me to be more accepting of differences.
Katimavik made me more social.
Katimavik made me more confident.
Katimavik gave me a little more direction in life.

Would I do it again?
No.
Did I enjoy my experience overall?
Yes.

Time to get rid of the Katimadventureblog title.

A list of things that irritate me.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have decided to create a list of things that irritate me, some surprising, some obvious.

• People who insist on clinging to common small talk, especially, but not limited to:

- ``So did you sleep well?``
- ``How are you?``
-``Good morning!``
-``Goodnight.``
-``What`s up?``

I have better examples than these ones, but I can`t remember them at the moment. EDIT: I originally put the name of a dear friend of mine up here, and after careful consideration, have decided to remove the name, simply out of respect. Miss you, D.

Look, I know people mean well when they ask these questions, but they still irritate me to no end when it becomes routine and usually, they genuinely don`t care for the answer.

• Bread crumbs in peanut butter, nutella, etc. - I hate chewing on the stuff and tasting these crunchy little bits that I know were deposited by someone else when they spread whatever on their bread with a knife.
• People who ask a lot of questions, but not interesting questions, just dumb ones. This sort of relates to my first point. I just hate answering something when it doesn`t make a difference what the answer is.
• When someone wakes me up in the morning and says repetitively ``C`mon Gabe! Time to get up! You have to get up!`` So I stir a little bit in my bed, but it keeps going! ``C'mon Gabe, time to get up!``
• In relation to the above point, I am not a morning person. As such, I hate when people attempt to converse with me when I`ve just woken up. 
• When one end of my shoelace is much longer than the other, and I have to make a really big loop for one of them
• Really static hair that gets in your face
• When someone claims that ``this is my song, it totally like represents my life``. It just ruins any enjoyment I might have gotten from the song.
• When someone gains control of an iPod and speakers and skips to a new song when it`s halfway through. A certain someone does these two things in my group here.
• People who only want to communicate with me for the sole purpose of getting something from me, e.g. french help, but who otherwise would never consider talking to me
• People who struggle with the back doors of buses when all they have to do is lightly tap them. Or trying to open them when the GREEN LIGHT ISN'T ON.
• People who shoot down my well-thought ideas.
• People who slack off on doing laundry and I have to do theirs so that I can do mine

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A Dreamer's Hideaway

Get away, run away, fly away

Lead me astray

To dreamer's hideaway

Too often I find myself longing to lose myself somewhere in Vancouver.

Then I wish for fleeting contact with something or someone in my period of being lost.

From the Burrard SkyTrain station, I walked along the architecturally-perfect fountains, buildings and archways, but they looked fake to me.

I pretend to lose myself on the SkyTrain itself. I've been to every stop on both lines by now, but I always know where I am.

I once tried closing my eyes and plugging my ears to not know what stop I got off at, but I caught a glimpse from the station signs.

Buslines work too, and they're actually better for getting lost, but I don't get the same rush from being on a bus as I do from a SkyTrain.

SkyTrains take you farther, faster, higher. There are more interesting people and things surrounding the stations and the train itself.

I have never been afraid walking alone in Vancouver.

But sometimes I wished I did, to escape the monotone, the bland, the dreary.

And then in fear, maybe I'll find the dreamer's hideaway.

The Twilight Sanctuary

Hello.

Let me introduce you to my favourite spot in the Katima-house: The Twilight Sanctuary.

It's my favourite spot because no one really ever hangs out in the basement, sometimes K, but everyone is usually almost always upstairs in the living room. Technically, The Twilight Sanctuary is the second living room, but I've made it my own after seeing that no one wanted it. 

There's a black light, a lot of couches (one pullout bed!), a wonderful coffee table and walls filled with quotes written down by past Katimavik participants. I've made it my favourite hangout spot by supplying it with books, paper and pens to write, a music station, plenty of blankets, and I want to add more things soon.

Even this week, I've decided that I would move out of the guy's bedroom upstairs and sleep on the pullout-couch. It's really quite magical going to sleep with the black light on, I haven't slept so well since living in any Katimavik house. Of course, if my Project Leader found out, I wouldn't be allowed to anymore, but I fold up the bed every morning so as to not leave a trace. He rarely comes downstairs anyway. After billeting week, I hope to continue this trend till the end.

Here is The Sanctuary without the twilight. It's like a whole different place. The Twilight Sanctuary is exactly that - it provides me a sort of haven away from the group. When it's dark outside, it's the most magical place ever. Sometimes the moon shines through the little windows, too.

So, like I mentioned, I'll be spending the next week with my billet family. The family lives in Surrey (a shady part of the Lower Mainland, according to my coworkers). I think I'll have a great time!

Fairwell.

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The Workplace

I love my work.

I really do.

My coworkers are all really awesome. My "boss", Melinda is wonderfully nice. There's the hilarious IT guy, Scott, who's always walking around fixing things, he's great to talk to.

There's the Texan, Sean, who likes a huge variety of tea and who needs assistance with learning about World of Warcraft, of which Scott and I have plenty to talk about.

There's Andrea, the Mail Services Coordinator, who has a double-major in Sociology and used to be the Marketing Director for McDonald's for Western Canada. She has a lot of things to talk about!

I get a lot of free time. Okay, I guess I'm lazy. I spend a lot of time at work surfing the internet, or BLOGGING, like I am right now.

I'm also lazy at home. I have a lot of really cool pictures on my camera that would go well here on this blog, but I've just been too lazy to upload them and transfer them on here... I will though! There's a lot of neat stuff to see in Vancouver.

I will update more often, I've been slacking this week especially because it's really busy!

One night, we went to the Greenpeace office for a presentation on how our oceans are going to die because of overfishing.

The next, we had a meeting at a local coffee shop with Katimavik alumni, about our Community Involvement Project, which is going to be an "enviro-concert" centered on Sustainability.

The next night, it was a lecture at UBC about the "missing conversation" between Aboriginals and the rest of Canada. Very informative!

Tonight, we have a "semi-formal" potluck dinner with the two other katimagroups in our cluster, New Westminster and Burnaby. 

Saturday we're doing an all-day volunteer blitz for an artshow of sorts, on Kingsway.

So you see, plenty of things to keep me busy.

That is all.

Oh, and I didn't get accepted to UofT... :( 2024 edit: Ah, if only I had known what was to come... Switching to Innis might have been a mistake.

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