...in print

jas

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 22:09:04 -0700

Jasper/Jasmine takes me to school and the grocery store. Sometime in the future I am hoping he/she can take me farther. Maybe Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver? I want Jas to be able to make it to the border and beyond. I suppose we’ll see. If I am no where to be found some time in January or February, please look on the following highways:
Hwy 63
Hwy 881
Hwy 1

So I went through considerable anguish trying to figure out whether or not to purchase a vehicle. Not only (from experience) is a car a money pit, but it is hugely extravagant and unnecessary most of the time. Before I moved here, I told my Mom (somewhat foolishly) that I would never buy a car again. Haha. Absolute statements always make us seem foolish. Clearly, I was wrong. But I contend that I am wrong only because of the state of our society. Infrastructure (i.e. suburbia) is designed in such a way that we need a car. Quite frankly, this is BS. Suburbia is inherently unsustainable. In ways, New York, with all it’s congestion and density is one of the most sustainable cities in North America. What, you ask? That is sacrilege! But seriously, there’s something to be said about dense populations. How the people don’t need to commute, how everything is within walking distance, how a community can draw together and become a social circle. Of course, New York can do a lot better to reduce its carbon footprint but, in general, the city is a much more sustainable design than suburbia. Anyway, Fort McMurray is definitely designed as suburbia. You can’t hardly get anywhere without a vehicle and even if you did decide to walk/run 20/10 minutes to the grocery store, you’d have to fight the bitter -40 degree during the winter months. So, there you have it. I bought a car.

Good points of owning Jas:
It is VW red and sticks out like a sore thumb
It is diesel so my fuel economy is amazing (runs on ULSD...so no worries on that front either)
It cost less than $3000
It has weak struts so whenever I go over any slight bump it feels like I’m on a pogo stick
I won’t get frostbite in the next month
My Mom can say “I told you so.”
I can pick up (and slightly impress) any lady friends for dates and group hangs (Yes, that is an OC reference...so what!)

fort mcmurray “living”

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 06:59:39 -0700

WOW. It’s been forever since my last act of narcissism. But here it is in all its glory!
Two months since I got to Fort McMurray. I’ve been surprised by many things since I’ve been here. To be honest, there isn’t much to talk about. It’s a relatively “simple” town. I’ll try my best to keep you entertained, however.

Work:
I work for Suncor Energy Inc. You may have heard of us in the news recently when a couple of Greenpeace protesters broke on to site, chained themselves to a conveyor belt and posted anti oil sand signs all around. I was offsite that day but I was told that no damage was done. The Greenpeace people got charged for trespassing. (That was sobering)
Anyway, my work is pretty “fun”. Apart from the fact that I am aiding and abetting in the devastation of our Earth, I’m having a great time...:S. I don’t blame Suncor for its position in the market though. They are in business, as everyone else is, to make money and if the “people” (if society) wants oil, Suncor is merely exploiting that demand. Which is what any business does. Who I do blame is us. I blame our overuse of everything petroleum. I blame that nearly everything including the computer I’m working on, the car I drive, the food I eat, the clothes I wear and the stuff I buy comes directly from the petroleum industry. We’ve successfully made most self-preserving systems completely unsustainable. This being said, I realize that crude oil is not in and of itself bad. I know it is a powerful tool but we use it WAY too much. And therein lies the problem. It is too easy to maintain our outrageous consumption rates and it is much to easy to waste. So, as I said, I hold nothing against Suncor. In fact, they are working towards “sustainability” (this is sarcasm) and they take very good care of their employees (people being, arguably, the biggest part of our environment).
For the technically curious, my work at Suncor involves maintaining and improving the reliability of Suncor’s assets. I work closely with dozers, graders, backhoes, loaders and other construction/mining equipment. It’s interesting stuff. I like it like I like any mechanical system. I am learning a lot and I feel that my engineering degree is being put to good use. So on that front, it is a good job. In January, I am writing my engineering ethics exam which (by the world’s standards) is a big step in my career. It means that I will make more money and have more professional credibility. Up until two years ago, I could be the guarantor on your passport application. Too bad they changed that. Now my professional status means nothing. Meh. At the very least I will be able to put a few more letters behind my name on business cards, etc. Not that I’ve ever had business cards or plan to have them. The “trading” of business cards seems so impersonal to me. We’ll talk about this later though.
Extracurricular:
During my time off from work I do many different things. I play sports, run, go to school, cook, read, write, hang out with friends and try my best not to be sucked into the culture that is Fort McMurray. Fort Mac is odd. It has a very unique culture but if I were asked to describe it with one word, that word would be money. And not money in that good sense, like “Oh, Paul Zhang is money from beyond the arc.” I’m talking money, like “I make a ridiculous amount of money so everything I spend it on is going to be ridiculous too.” Most every person in Fort McMurray owns a massive house with a 3 car garage, 5 cars, 2 motorbikes, a quad, a boat and an RV. Of the 5 cars, 4 of them are SUVs or Pickup trucks and the other is a Ferrari or some other exotic vehicle. The reason why everyone has this stuff is to “show off” to everyone else in the town. I find this incredibly unusual because everyone in this town makes a lot of money. And everyone knows it. So what’s the point of flaunting that?
Anyway, I’m trying my hardest not to get caught up in that culture. It is difficult when you are inundated with it though. So I mentioned that I am going to school. I’ve enrolled in American Sign Language (ASL) and I’m having a blast learning this new language. As many of you know, I love languages and this is just another one to learn! I wish I could show some of you some cool words. I see ASL as a little bit of culture in an otherwise uncultured city.
General:
I know that this stage in my life is only temporary. But it’s hard to keep focused on the goal. Every bit of Fort McMurray leaves much to be desired. I find myself looking forward to “leaving” in any sense. I look forward to November 20 when I am heading to SFO to see my family. I look forward to Christmas when I am heading to Vancouver. I look forward to the Olympics in February.
I cannot wait for the day when I wake up somewhere in Africa or Asia or wherever and think, I look forward to this day, here in (wherever I am).
I cannot wait for the day when I wake up in heaven.
A few more notes:
I am vegetarian
I bought a car (above)...I’ll talk more about this in a later post, maybe
I am growing out my hair to donate to cancer (possibly get dreads first)
I ran a sub 6 mile
I want a wind farm

one week

Sun, 6 Sep 2009 20:14:02 -0600

“It’s been one week since you looked at me, cocked your head to the side and said I’m sorry.” Dreams can come true. They can also be massively thwarted. I’ve been feeling very different recently. I’ve been feeling like I’ve changed. And I’m not talking tiny changes in lifestyle or preferences. I’m talking massive change. I am a different person than I was even six months ago. The things that are important to me now ARE actually important. What I mean is that before, I believed these things were important but I never did anything about them. I feel compelled to live a meaningful life. Maybe you’ve noticed the change. Maybe not.

I started this post on September 6. Today is November 1. I have been falling off the horse. In more ways than one. I’m just gonna post this because I don’t want to not post it. I was feeling something on September 6, it is clear. Anyway, sorry if it is confusing. Next post will be better, I promise. “Tomorrow will be better, I swear!”

g to the randma

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:02:42 -0600

I love my Grandma. A part of me exists in every aspect because of her. A big part. In the picture above, she is knitting. Judging by my time with her through the years, she loves it. She actually has a lot of tiny quirks that she loves to do. As far as I can remember, the following has been her routine:
Wake up at 5am.
Pray for an hour; for her family (and it is LARGE) and friends.
Exercise for an hour (Tai Chi)
Knit
Cook
Without fail, this is what she does everyday. And it’s awesome! She’s awesome! I had the chance to spend some quality time with her this past trip to SF. She lives in Oakland, next to an admittedly “ghetto” school. Oakland, for those who don’t know, is straight gangster. But my Grandma is not phased one bit. To be honest, I get a little scared when I’m in Oakland but I latch on to my Grandma for dear life and I know it will be OK...:S. I’m such a wimp. But not my Grandma. Strong woman. Probably the strongest woman I’ve ever met in my life. She’ll be 90 this year, which in itself is pretty incredible. The fact that she still lives on her own, exercises everyday, cooks for herself and visitors, and gets along fine in Oakland is a true miracle. I have and can learn so much from this woman. This November, the whole family is going to get together in SF to celebrate her 90th birthday. I’m excited. I’m excited to see my Grandma again but more than that, I’m excited to see my extended family. And I know that only Grandma can bring the family together the way she does. Through her prayers, through her life and through basically just existing. I’m afraid of what will happen when she passes. What will happen to the family? What happens when a pillar in your family falls? But this is premature. She’s still super healthy and I’m just being melancholic. Sorry.
See you in November Gma! I love you!

omaha: somewhere in middle america

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:38:11 -0600

As I write this post, I’m listening to the Counting Crows. Pretty awesome. I remember when I was younger I would listen to “Omaha” and imagine what it was like in middle America. Last week I had the opportunity to see it first hand. It’s weird that childhood dreams or pseudo-dreams always turn out different than we imagine. I had pictured myself riding in a car, listening to the Counting Crows, seeing nothing but open space. It was a very romantic picture in my mind. And in ways, it still is. But now I know what Omaha is like. It’s not ugly. It’s not pretty either. It didn’t shatter perceptions. It’s just there I suppose: like the rest of the world. Just there. The city, the fields, the open skies and open space. And there I was within it, on the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge that connects two border cities. Just hanging out. Having a great time with good company. One minute I’m in Omaha, the next I’m in Council Bluffs. Just middle America.
Speaking of last week, I was also in the following cities:
Denver, Boulder, Longmont, Estes Park, Lyons, Hays, Manhattan, Marysville, Beatrice, Lincoln, Omaha, Council Bluffs, St. Joseph and Kansas City.
Now I’m back in San Francisco.
So in the span of one week, I was in six different States. Not bad.
A lot of people give middle America a lot of flak. And admittedly, I used to be one of them but really, aren’t they just people trying to live their lives like everyone else? Sure, some of them might be a little ignorant and uninformed but that’s everywhere. Who knows everything right? And maybe it’s the geography; the way that everything sort of just spans and blends into everything else. That’s not very interesting. But even in the emptiness of the prairies there is beauty. The sunset over the land is brilliant, for example. And you can see for miles when you DO find a hill. I like it. I like middle America. I won’t live there...but I like it. Lincoln is awesome. So is western Colorado. Anyway, I don’t think I can complain what with moving to Fort McMurray and all...:S
What does a place mean anyway right? It’s what’s in the heart. Just like the song says, “It’s the heart that matters more.” But going along with that argument, I shouldn’t be so opposed to Toronto...:P. Meh. Who knows.

one month

Sun, 9 Aug 2009 21:15:52 -0600

It turns out that a lot of things can happen in one month. It’s been exactly one month since my last post and it also turns out that a LOT has happened in my life. If you asked me a year ago whether I would see any significant change in one month, I probably would have answered with doubt and skepticism. But now, at this stage in my life, a month means a world of change. In a year, who knows what will happen. Anyway, here are few of the changes that have happened in my life:
I took a job in Fort McMurray working for Suncor. It’s a permanent position. I don’t know how long I will stay there but it will be a significant amount of time. I start in September.
My parents are moving again. So is my sister.
I’ve been to Seattle, Vancouver, Toronto and San Francisco in this past month.
I met someone.
I know where I want to be in the future and what I want to be doing. (In general)
I know, all this is pretty vague. But I guess if you want to know more, you’ll just have to ask. :P
Things I’m going to do in the next couple of years:
Save money
Travel (a little)
Run
Read
Write
Again, pretty vague. Sorry!

the little pointing mute unmute

Thu, 9 Jul 2009 11:46:14 -0600

This is my nephew Emmanuel; Manu for short. He likes to point...at everything.
Say light and he’ll point at a light.
“Manu, car!” He’ll point at a car.
Random sound in the distance? He’ll point towards the sound.
The best is when he points up in the sky when he hears an airplane. He’ll stretch as far as he can like he was trying to touch the sound. There’s something about that. It’s pure curiosity.
And it’s really quite hilarious. Some might say a bit rude that he points at everything and everyone but right now, at 1.5 years of age, that’s who Manu is. He’s the little pointing mute unmute. And I’m pretty happy to get to know this little guy a bit better now that I’m around.
He points because he can’t really speak. He’ll make sounds like he wants to say something but nothing really comes out but incoherent sounds. He even knows sign language! Well, he knows how to say “thank you” in ASL. In the photo above, he’s pointing at me taking a picture of him. I can’t tell if he wants my camera or if he just wants to point at his uncle cause he likes me. Probably the former. Anyway, it’s a neat way of communicating; with your body, I mean. I guess it shows the importance of body language in communication. It also shows the importance of looking at someone when you speak with them. Cause otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to understand Manu at all. The lessons you learn from even the smallest of people. I love that about people and getting to know them. There’s always something new. Always. The newness is captivating for me. I love people. Weeeeee! And I love Emmanuel.
I want to learn a sign language. I’m going to learn a sign language. I have a new found appreciation for languages. I mean, I always enjoyed them but I think I’m going to try and learn as many as possible now. Starting with Chinese and perhaps, sign language. Maybe Manu can help.

where am i?

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 09:22:06 -0600

It’s been three weeks since my return to this “home” town. I’m still not back. I wake up and my thoughts immediately return to Maai Mahiu, to Kenya. I wonder what Rocky is doing. How many guests has Dominic served today? Is Mwaniki riding around on his pikipiki? Doesn’t anyone speak Kiswahili in this city?
I’m there but I’m not; neither here nor there, I feel trapped in a void of hope and intention. I’ve been reading a lot. Mao II is particularly interesting. I think it has influenced my writing. At least for this post. I’m walking on the AIDS highway and I see Tony and Fred and Lucy and Sammy. Jambo! Habari? There are exchanges of handshakes. Down, up, down. Four times over.
It’s recess at Ngeya. It always is. Back to work. Mix it. Mix it. Pack it. It’s OK now. Daniel speaks with a drawl. Not southern, not exactly Kenyan. Just like a man with no worries, like a man who is happy and completely content with life. Weekendi yako ni mzuri, rafiki yangu? (How was your weekend, my friend?) Mzuri sana, I say. It was great. We both work. The others too. An honest day’s labour.
I want some nyama choma (bbq meat). Mbuzi preferably. The goat is amazing. It’s famous. It’s blessed. I’ll take a Tusker baridi too please. Rocky and Mwaniki will have Guinness moto. I never understood drinking warm beer and I still don’t but I’ve tried it now and it’s not as bad as it sounds. The bia baridi is much more refreshing but I suppose if you drink fourteen of them, the warm might be easier to drink? Who knows? Rocky and Mwaniki know.
Longonot is where Fundi John is from. I like his hat. His son is my age. In fact, I’m only one day older than him. Climbing Mount Longonot one day I hope to run into him and his family. I will see John from a distance, wave and yell “habari yako, rafiki kubwa?” Most definitely he will respond, “Mzuri sana, sana sana”. Everything is alright in Kenya. There are problems but not really. The people there know something we don’t. You can see it in the way they act, the way they treat each other, the way they treat their communities. Visitors, this visitor, was blown away.
Okitaka kula nguruwe, chagua arie nona. If you’re gonna eat a pig, eat a fat one.
Jambo! Hello!
Jambo Bwana! Hello Sir!
Habari Ngani? What’s the news everyone?
Mzuri Sana! Very good!
Weigeni. Visitors.
Caribishwa. You are welcome.
Kenya yetu, Kenya has,
Hakuna matata. No worries.

homeward bound

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:16:25 -0600

I will be in Toronto in 14 or so hours. I don’t know how I feel about this. On one hand, I’m excited to see old friends and family but on the other, I will dearly miss the other side of the world. Leaving the airport yesterday from Nairobi is a difficult situation to describe. Rocky, Mwaniki, Fred and Dominic drove me there from Maai-Mahiu. You don’t know these people, which is why it makes it so hard to describe. I’ve only known these people for five weeks or less but somehow I feel as if I’m leaving friends that I’ve known for ages. The pain is a unique one. The thoughts that run through my mind are of the past five weeks and it’s all a blur. I wish I could relive them somehow. I wish I could share in the great fun and hard work we all did again. Again, you cannot understand mostly because I haven’t really been updating my blog...but I will and maybe then you will see what a significant thing has happened to my life. For now, I hope to see you soon. Especially if you’re in Toronto for the summer.

mother afrika

Wed, 20 May 2009 06:43:13 -0600

I love this place. I’ve only been here for a week but I can tell that I belong here. The people here are so laid back and everything is easy like sunday morning. I’m even picking up a fair amount of Swahili.