Best Part o' My Day

November 26, 2012

I had to get to the Ministry of Transportation to exchange my Australian driver's license for a new Ontario license today. I had already decided the night before that I was going to ride a bicycle there from Byron. Thanks to the lovely Jenna Goodhand, I had a steady pair of wheels to get me there. It was a long ride there- about 14km, which took me an hour and a half. I cruised the first leg of it with an extra large hot chocolate in one hand. On the way back I went through Westmount and coasted full-speed down snake hill, which I don't think I've ever done before. What a rush. I shaved about 30 minutes off on my return to Byron and hopped in the shower feeling fuckin' incredible.

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Best Part o' My Day

November 25, 2012

I went back to Big R's house in Byron today and took his dog Bronx out for a long walk at Boler Mountain. Once again, I was back on my little tour of childhood memories. What made it even better was that there was a fresh blanket of snow covering the hills. Bronx and I walked through the woods and then made our way all the way up to the new expansion hill, formerly known as Hill 2000. Back in the day, before it was ever open for public skiing, my friends and I would climb to the top and indulge in our first taste of alcohol.  I stood up there for quite a while, surveying the land and remembering how free I used to feel up there as a kid. Now I'm almost 30 years old and I'm still chasing that feeling and finding myself at new heights that I could only imagine back then. This moment today just might be the best part o' my Month.

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Best Part o' My Day

November 24, 2012

My good friend Mike Myles put on a classy 'Merican Thanksgivin' shindig this evening. It was the perfect amalgamation of a tight knit group of grown up kids re-uniting like the days of old. There was a keg, plenty of wine and a "Turduckin" (turkey, duck and chicken all cooked together as one). We were lucky enough to have Jamie Ewing, the best chef in our crew, to make it just right. It was a memorable night of food, drinks and friends that never fade away.

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Best Part o' My Day

November 23, 2012

I got a lot accomplished in the barn tonight. I rekindled my love for video editing and got deep into a project I should have finished months ago. Then I nestled into my bivvy sack/sleeping bag on the hammock and slowly fell asleep listening to The Teachings of Don Juan.

 

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Best Part o' My Day

November 22, 2012

I got back to the farmhouse around 5pm today after finishing a paint job with my Aunt La. The winds had picked up and freezing rain was on the way. The first thing I thought of when I walked in the house was the old-school claw foot bathtub. While it filled up with hot water I lit a candle and put on some Ray Lamontagne and the Pariah Dogs music. Then I jumped in. Hallelujah.

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Best Part o' My Day

November 20, 2012

I am a painter by trade. I haven't had a whole lotta work since I've been home. I haven't been looking to hard either. Just friends n' family jobs. My sweet 68 year old Aunt La is a painter too. She started when she was 65. She can do anything. Today she showed up out at the farm and asked me to help her with a job she was doing in Byron. Nothing makes me happier than moments like that. I made us some toast and then we were out the door, ready to spread some paint.

 

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Best Part o' My Day

November 19, 2012

I had a big financial meeting with myself today. I chewed myself out hard for not taking my debt seriously. That may not seem like a very relevant highlight but now I'm much more organized and on top of things and feeling good about it.

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Best Part o' My Day

November 18, 2012

I jammed on the ukulele this morning until my fingers bled. Then cousin E brought out an epic breakfast sandwich. It saved me from a hangover and kept me strumming long enough to learn two new songs. That's as good as it gets and I ain't asking for anything better today.

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Best Part o' My Day

November 17, 2012

UFC Fight tonight. I made Tibetan momos from scratch and got good n' drunk with my cousins E, Holly, Cheryl, Hoots, Gus and some Iona farmers.

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Best Part o' My Day

November 16, 2012

Got a lot of writing today but the best part going to see my cousins play hockey. Their team, the Byron Rats are pretty decent. They won on penalty shots.  Afterwards we went for food n' drinks at  Bernie's Bar n' Grill, another stop on my tour of memories.

 

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Best Part o' My Day

November 15, 2012

I had to go to Oakridge to pick up some things today, so I returned to Springbank Park and walked all the way to Wonderland Road via the park. No joint required. Just fresh air and nature.

 I guess I really do sound like a damn hippy. But I'm not.

 

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Best Part o' My Day

November 14, 2012

I've relocated to my cousin E's farm out in Iona. The best part of today was when I set up shop in the top part of the barn. I knew as soon as I went up there that this was the perfect place to settle in and get some writing done. I hooked up the music and prepared a small work space for my creativity to run rampant on. Now I just need to equip myself for the cold nights.

 

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Best Part o' My Day

November 13, 2012

I spent the day in Byron today and walked through Springbank Park. It's something I've been wanting to do since I returned home. I found a joint in my back-pack so I smoked it and walked the path that I used to ride my bike and constantly wipe out on when I was just a young lad. This is the beginning of my little tour of memories.

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Best Part o' My Day

November 12, 2012

I was lucky enough to catch a ride back to Byron today. I arrived at the doorstep of Big R's place around 7pm. Big R is the father of my best friend, the late great Jeff Darling. He's also the Godfather of Byron and whenever I'm in town, I stay at Big R's house.
I was weary from the long drive and relieved to kick back on the leather couch. Big R was just getting ready to watch the complete 4th season of 'Sons of Anarchy' which I had never seen before. He brought me up to speed as best as he could, then we smoked and got right into it. What an intense show. What a great night of simply hangin' out, making snacks and feeling at home.

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Best Part o' My Day

November 11, 2012

Yes, it was the breakfast I had hoped for, followed by a vanilla sky-style walk through little Italy. The weather was the best it's been since I arrived in Montreal. I took deep breathes, I made her laugh a lot and I thought about my Grandfather.

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Best Part o' My Day

November 10, 2012

I got invited to a small house party tonight in celebration of a talented graphic design artist who just got promoted. I know girls don't prefer to be called "cute" but she was cute all the way.  Milky white skin and long jet-black hair with bangs and a French-Canadian accent. All I wanted to do was kiss her and stay up late, talkin' about the pursuit of happiness. Maybe some breakfast in the morning.
And that's what we did.

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Best Part o' My Day

November 9, 2012

Today I joined the ranks of Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde, Francis Ford Coppola, Mick Fleetwood, Tom Petty and Burt Reynolds... just to name a few. I'm not proud of it, but because my long awaited income tax return has still not come in from Australia I am officially bankrupt. In fact, I didn't even have enough coinage to do a load of laundry so I'm writing this with no underwear on. In the 29 and a half years I've been alive this was my second call home for money. The first time I called my Dad from Thailand. I could make $100 last two weeks easily there.  Today I called my Aunt La and she thought I was crazy asking for such a small amount. The best part of my day was simply talking to her and feeling such a gratefulness to have a family that accepts the way I live my life. I know they don't always fully understand, but their love is unconditional and that's something that blows my mind. I hope they feel that same echelon of love from me as well.

When I went to withdraw the money out from the bank there was $300 in my account.
Thank you Aunt La. I'll be home soon.


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Best Part o' My Day

November 8, 2012

Woke up at 4AM and couldn't get back to sleep. Watched 'Looper'. Liked it and finally got back to sleep around 8AM. But that wasn't it. 

Drank way too much coffee upon waking up at noon. Got the shakes like a junky trying to kick.
I don't drink coffee. That definitely wasn't it.

Went outside, found a tenement building with a classic stoop and read 'Scar Tissue' there until the sun went down. But that wasn't it either.

After everyone went to bed, I stayed up and wrote, contributing 2 more pages to the manuscript that will one day be my magnum opus as a writer.

That was it.


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Best Part o' My Day

November 7, 2012

I walked all over Old Montreal today with only $14.00 to my name, but I felt like a rich man.
I had my camera, a pack of trail mix and 10,633 songs on shuffle. I let life be the DJ today.

Shad makes me feel like anything's possible.

Mumfords make me feel like I can walk anywhere.

Dylan makes me feel comfortable in my own skin.

Bon Iver makes autumn make perfect sense.

Sublime makes the sun come out in the darkest places. 

 Good music vibrates.


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Best Part o' My Day

November 6, 2012

Yesterday I learned that Chucho, a good friend of mine, had been adopted by a nice family. Chucho is a former member of the camp dog posse that I used to run around with during my days in Yuendumu, Australia. That was great news, but I knew that crafty little Corgi would eventually find a real home. It was the other dogs in the posse that I was unsure of.

The best part of today was waking up to find out that they too are officially up for adoption thanks to my former boss Gloria Morales and her not-for-profit rescue organization Desert Dogs.
                                          

 The camp dog posse: (bottom left to right) Stewie Jr, Chucho, and Floyd.
                                    (top left to right) Blue, me, Marcel, and Silly Billy.

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Best Part o' My Day

November 5, 2012

It happened around 3:30pm. I was walking around hoping to get lost when the sky began to poof out a small dose of snowflakes. They were a decent size, but light enough to blow all around like confetti. It was fucking marvelous. Then, as I kept walking I noticed in the reflection of a car window that for the first time ever, I had an ass. I was stoked! All my life I've had virtually no ass. It wasn't until this past few months that I started doing something about it by working out with squats and an exercise I learned from Jean-Claude Van Damme. Feel free to give a squeeze next time you see me ladies.

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Best Part o' My Day

November 4, 2012

Today was a hangover day. In fact I didn't even go outside, which I hate to admit, but it's been years since I've stayed indoors for a full day. It didn't get me down. The weather was dreary. The kitchen window was open and the fresh air was flowing in, adding to the delightful smell of maple bacon cookin' on the skillet. Candy made an epic breakfast for sure, but the best part o' my day was what I was doing as I ate that breakfast. I researched a man who has inspired me for years, Hunter S. Thompson. I wanted to know who inspired him. This search lead me to F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Who inspired them? I dug deeper and came up with Oscar Wilde. At this point I was still familiar with all these names and it pushed me to read on and follow the trail of "inspirado." This lead me to the writer, Walter Pater and then onto John Ruskin, a traveling English Art critic. By the time I stopped for a break it was late in the afternoon and I had gone all the way back to the 1700's, learning about a dude named Samuel Rogers. Yes yes, today was a well read day. Tomorrow I begin work on the flux capacitor.

Update:

Y'know what... not long after I wrote all that I got an incredibly strong urge to go for a walk with Candy's dog Leroy. Perhaps it was because Leroy had an incredibly strong urge to piss and I'm very in tune with canines. So out we went, on a nice brisk walk around Decarie Boulevard. It was -3 degrees C. I was in shorts with long-johns on underneath. We ran and pissed and walked and pissed some more. That, my friends, was the best part of my day. Bonne Nuit.

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Best Part o' My Day

November 3, 2012

Karaoke, again, with brand new friends.

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Best Part o' My Day

November 2, 2012

Once again the best part of my day occurred at the very beginning, just a few hours after midnight, when Candy Contrera took me to The Main, a classic Montreal deli where we stuffed our faces full on a platter of cured meat, fresh bread and European-style coleslaw. It was a great introduction to all that lay ahead in the weeks to come. I leaned back in my seat and felt a familiar wave of affluence wash over me. It was my first night in Montreal and I knew I had come to the right place.

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First day of plenty.

I arrived in Montreal yesterday afternoon. I plan to be here for the majority of November staying with my friend Candy Contrera and her hilarious 6 year old action hero son, Araya. There are a few  outcomes I want to achieve during my time in this beautiful city. Lots of photography, lots of writing, the completion of two video projects and this, a daily dose of reflection on the people, places, things and happenings that make life worth waking up for. I got this idea from my good friend Jessica, an inspirational Inuit woman with crazy pants. Very simply titled "The best part o' my day".

November 1, 2012

The best part o' my day began at the stroke of midnight when November was born and I found myself back in Toronto, already many beers deep with Charlie, Jamie Ewing and his bodacious girlfriend Erica. The name of the bar escapes me, but there was Karaoke happening and we were all about it. The highlight was when Jamie disappeared for an extended period and suddenly Green Man showed up and got on the microphone to rip a comically aggressive version of "Mama said knock you out."

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