greetings, earthlings

Chapter 8 of adult life has begun; at least, that’s what I figured out as I left Regina on the plane this morning.

there is a west coast (no, really, a west coast) breeze flowing over me right now.  I hear gulls, and they’re not looming over garbage. they are really from the sea.  there is minimal traffic noise, in this trendy and quietly reserved residential hood on the west side of Vancouver. (it’s not West Van – don’t make that mistake. It’s the west side.  I’ve already been corrected once.)

the downtown east side.  the reason for my existance?  Really? because that’s what they said, as they pushed carts full of dirty clothes – the same dirty clothes I saw years ago, but never really knew would be on sale again years later.  they had freezies – plenty of freezies.  It was 22 above today, after all.  I think it was the oral fixation, really.  they had dirt, and filth, and one aboriginal lady had breasts that looked cancerous they were so gigantic and grotesque.  they had minimal anything, and no one got on the bus.  I think the bus passengers collectively gave a sigh of relief.

I found in my bag a strange little piece of cloth of years ago.  It read, quite simply, “Make poverty history.”  I found it in the airport right after finding my fake Movado watch, which at the time seemed like a cool thing to put on my wrist.  I took the watch off when I left the airport because I didn’t want all of my luggage straps to catch on it.  I didn’t take off the MPH band, for whatever reason.

That downtown east side just defined the reason I wore the band.  It defined a reason for hating, with visceral, immediate attention, the Gucci store when I saw it. And the Versace store. And the thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of incredibly well dressed, trendy kids who were on Robson Street as I went venturing to find cell phone dealers.  oh to be privileged enough to need a cell phone (need – what a strange word in this context when applied to plastics and metal and not nutrition and health care).

SFU was nice.  SFU was exactly what I needed. It’s also 5 times more expensive than I thought.  Likely because I am so brilliant that I thought $1400 was the tuition fees for the program. Uh, kyall. dude. that’s per class.  I am now $7000 behind what I thought I’d be spending. yikes.  Visa will take care of these little details but sheesh, what a little detail to get wrong!

I’m in a union.  the pamphlet says it’s formed on “non-hierarchical, feminist principles”.  I am hoping men are allowed to participate fully in the union, because I am not entirely sure what feminist principles means in the context of the organization of a union.  I am being sarcastic, but also a little redneck, in that it did make me stop for a moment to read that. 1.5% of my paycheque to my first union – a paycheque that is also, lo and behold, about $1K less than I thought it would be. oh well. details, details.  Is it wrong to be excited for union orientation? for orientation period?

Cute new girl at Bell wanted to sign me up for a new phone.  All other phone providers lame, expensive, and not cute and smiley.  Still reeling from the downtown east side that will be part of a weekly commute when I make it to the Harbour Centre for my Latin American class.  oh how I want class to start already!

Fiction is out, apparently.  SFU advises already my load is going to be heavy.  Already questioning my commitment levels to three classes given I also require office hours to be a TA.  Harry 7 will just have to wait until Christmas time, it seems.

Missing everyone immensely. but strangely enough, knowing they’re all doing fine.  Knowing what I have at home was peaceful and as the plane landed, and I said to myself as I always say when planes land but you never really know if it’s really just about to crash or what the hell, “I am happy, I’m at peace, if I die.”  I know these things because those last two weeks in Regina were literally heaven.  I can’t, never, no chance, can I put a pricetag on these wonderful friendships.  No shame of the tears shed already.

Chapter 8 has begun.