Into the Wild

I’m having trouble starting this last entry and I can’t be to sure why. I’m actually a little glad the blog will be over simply because it has stolen my stories away from me. Moments that I would have shared with friends face to face became public and seemed to take away those funny moments that friends share and help create that bond. So in saying that, it has been quite a year.

I will miss my class mates and friends most of all this summer. My year started out being thrown into a cabin with Derrick and together we battled the great Kidney Lake mouse invasion that brought twelve mice (twelve that we caught anyway) into our cabin. Neither of us came down with a case of hantavirus so in the end, it was pretty cool that we had a mouse invasion and one day I will share the story with my grand children about how Derrick and I defended our home for six weeks. There were the late nights around the camp fire telling scary stories with whom ever seemed to make it up that late. Kirsten and the bearbanger incident, and although I never fired it, sorry Brian it was mine. The numerous treks through the bush with Danielle, I appreciate how we were never in a hurry to get anything done and just seemed to enjoy what the day had to offer. Late night crib games with Stacey and Sammy while eating whatever scraps of food we could muster together. Rayanne and her strange cooking concoctions running around the camp with a big pot of rice pudding and a big trail of guys following her with bowls and spoons. My goddaughter does the same thing with food and I hope neither stop experimenting with ingredients as I believe that it is a bigger metaphor for how they look at life. The fire guys, especially Rob, Dan (who still has yet to beat me at tap-tap even though I let him say he wins all the time), Brent, and Jerret, who organized a fitness test for some of us to take at camp. It was during that fitness test, when the water bag had leaked over over me and my pants were down dragged down to my crotch that I looked around and thought ‘what am I doing here’ and, of course, that is when Dan drove by in the NAIT truck and said ‘good job, hurry up’ to Josh and I. So, as told, we hurried up. Phil, who with great Rocky stories, encouraged me to go for Rocky Mountain House and always seems to have a great passion for food. It makes me wonder if one day he will end up being a chef in a five star restaurant. Which leads me to Lars, and although we differ in musical tastes, some of my best memories this year are driving the truck while Lars DJ’ed from the passenger seat. The campfires at the house where Rob and I are staying were always good fun, and next year I hope more people just stop on by for a fire. I like having and open house where people feel comfortable to stop by out of the blue. I’ll also miss partnering with Prem on some of the field labs. Somehow we always end up having a philosophical discussion about love and life, and with him being buddhist his advise is always quite sound and if I were to boil it down it would sound like this ‘be good in every thought and action and goodness will come back to you’. Sound advise for anyone really. Then there isHanna, who taught me how to rock climb (or wall climb) which I then used those skills to shared with my goddaughter, thanks Hanna.The nicknames that were thrown around; Plant Boy because Rob wants to be a superhero, Mountain Girl because she climbs mountains, Bombay Sapphire because that is what she drinks and Prairie, who people think has that name because she comes from a farm, but actually has it for a different reason all together. Maybe one day I’ll tell her why.

NAIT’s Forest Technology Class of 2010.

Family is also important when one decided to go back to school. My parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins have all been there to help support me and help me through those moments when I wasn’t sure what was going on. Without them, well, without them I wouldn’t be the person I am today. Friends are also important in life as well, Lana, James and Tracy, Jen and Ken, Dennis, Chandra (who took me on my first plant walk), are all people that encourage me in one way or another to go back to school and follow the little dream. Of course I couldn’t have done this with out my dog either, she really is my best friend and I feel comforted knowing that she is now taking care of my dad.

We lost a couple of people this year and they will be missed. I won’t mention their names but class truly isn’t the same without them.

What else happened this year? Well I decided that I wasn’t going to date anyone for the first year of school. In the past I went from relationship to relationship and never gave any of those relationships the chance they deserved. I believe I was truly loved once and I broke her heart, I believe that I loved once and she broke my heart. So rather then running into a relationship and ruining something that could be good I decided to take some time to let my heart heal and figure out what I want. And although I got over it a long time ago I did say that I wasn’t going to date the first year of school, and so I am looking forward to Wednesday, not because I have a date, but because I can again. I’ve also learned that I will not go to Starbucks for a date.

Fight club also happened and although it was fun learning numerous ways to hurt someone, I think next year I am going to take dance lessons or go to painting classes. I miss being able to tap into my creative side and next year will let that happen.

So what about school itself? Well, I’m not sure. School is school and it is the instructors that make it what it is and we have a pretty good crop of instructors. Each is unique in their own way and challenges us in different ways. It is easy to pass off quick remarks or simply dismiss them as teachers but the reality is they are more then that. Each once cares about all of us and want us to do the best we can. The lend an ear when needed and offer advice when suited. So far all their advice has been pretty solid and that could be because they are all solid characters. They, not their assignments, will be missed as well.

So until next year (maybe). Have a great summer!

The first thing that you notice about Victoria in the spring is all the pansies walking around with umbrellas. The rain is soft, in-fact it is almost like damp air more then rain at all. A sharp contrast to rain in Alberta, which comes at you fast, hard and soaks everything in it path. It is hard to imagine why all these people would be walking around trying to shield themselves form the elements that were almost nonexistent. So laughing in the face of all the pansies with umbrellas with as much defiance as I could muster, I began my walk around downtown by the seawall. It was a nice little walk with all the unique shops that are in that particular area and the street performers that are out and about. On one particular street I moved a melody blues on one corner, to country in the middle and folksy rock on the other corner, each song seamlessly blending into each other as though the three buskers had planned it that way. About this time I noticed that I was getting a bit chilly,I felt a lot better after I had picked up an umbrella.

The second thing you notice about Victoria is the hybrid cars everywhere including all of the taxis. This is also a sharp contrast to Alberta where the bigger your truck is the better you are. In fact, membership to the ‘big boy pants club’ starts when you get something the size of a Fort F-350 complete with a size 10 Stetson and Wranglers. After all how else are you going to haul around all those animals that you kill. Apparently on the coast, you only need to haul around some fish, which doesn’t take up much space in a hybrid at all. I did sit for a moment near the yacht club in-front of the Empress Hotel and wondered what would happen if a big Ford F-350 drove down in-front of the hotel with it’s muffler ripped off, gun rack on the back, deer sprawled out on the hood right in-front of all the ladies during the official tea time that the hotel offers. I imagine they would think they were being invaded, which actually brings up the question, why don’t we invade Victoria? At least just during the spring.

So why were you in Victoria you ask? Well, because I went to look at some trees. I also just finished two months of 70 hour (plus more with home work) school weeks and I wanted to just get away from it all. If I still had my place at Island Lake that I sold when I decided to go back to school I would have had went there but since I have no home right now to go when I am feeling like going home, I travel. The ecosystem is completely different then anything I had seen even though I have been there before, simply because I have never looked at the ecosystem before when I was there. I still don’t know as much about ecosystems as I could but one quick trip to the Royal Museum helped with that. I’ll spare you all the boring details but it is worth the trip even just to see their forest fire exhibit, let alone giant pine beetle that you can play with.

Anyway, now that I am back in Alberta I have to go do my thing, which is catch up on some homework and walk through the brown streets. It’s a shame that we can’t have a greener spring here.

Seriously, someone got paid money to think that up. Hey wait, I miss my old job sometimes.

The lovely Empress hotel where all the old ladies drink tea in the afternoon. I tried to crash a tea time time but they wouldn’t let me in on account of my ripped jeans.

And of course Darth, the ostracized member of the Rankin Family

After the reaction I received from Brian Adams vs Bryan Adams I knew that I had to continue the theme and that none of our instructors should escape the wonders of the comparative analysis. The next subject, of course, should be our Silviculture teacher Alan Pollock. The challenge was in finding someone that was equally passionate about their craft as Alan is about his. So after searching through a few different possibilities I knew that I had to be one of my favorite artists, Jackson Pollock.

Lets begin shall we.

Greater influence?This is hard to say. Jackson Pollock was one of the defining artist in American history and although many have copied his style, they are doing so without the substance and torment that Jackson had. Alan is one of the defining teachers at NAIT and although many students have passed through his doors it s hard to say if they left school with the substance (not really a tormented soul our Alan) that Alan had. This is a tie.

Bigger bad a$$?Well, Alan made a video about how to sharpen an axe and then a second on how to chop wood. The second video did not do so well but the first video, on how to sharpen an axe, is the number one watched video on NAIT’s YouTube channel and not by a little bit, an average of 10:1 more then any other video including the video about the super fat cat, which is my personal favorite. Jackson is more bad a$$ overall but if there was one defining act that could be used for comparison sake it could be the moment when Jackson urinated into Peggy Guggenheim’s (yes her last name is the same as the world famous art museum, coincidence?) fireplace at a party. Now, it is actually more rude then bad a$$ but there has to be points thrown Jackson’s way for thumbing his nose at one of the most influential people in the art with careless disregard, a bit outlaw. Winner, Jackson.

Better understanding of the ‘circle of life’?Well, Jackson seemed to live in his own little world and not surprisingly so. Most artists, good ones, become quite self absorbed at some point because they have to. I’m sure Jackson had a great understanding of the ‘circle of life’ but it was only his ‘circle of life’. Alan on the other hand could let you know in no time at all how the disappearing ‘whatever’ is going to affect the greater ‘whatever’ and how all things need to be kept in a state of balance to preserve the natural state. The only thing is that life is never a balanced state, and the history of the earth shows this. Life is always a state of flux and change and consequence (perhaps Jackson did have a better understanding of this). Either was the winner of this is Alan.

Who would I rather have over for dinner?There is a saying that although people would love to have a Pollock in their home, the wouldn’t actually want Pollock in their home, the artist not the teacher. That saying is there for a reason. Therefore, Alan, you are welcome anytime to come over for dinner.

Been the subject of many discussions?I’m sure that Alan, has been the subject of a few discussions but in reality, Jackson is in every art history class that covers general art history, has books written about him, and had a great movie made about him. Thanks Ed Harris. Winner Jackson.

Who would I rather hang on my wall?That is obvious I think. Mr. Pollock of course.

Who has a greater influence on my life.At one time I would have said, like any other aspiring artist, Jackson. But now knowing that one bad grade from Alan could send me reeling, I know that Alan not only has influence over my life he has control over it.

Well, there you go, another tie. Boy these teachers are good at standing up to some big names out there. Stay tuned for the next comparison. Heath Schnieder vs Schnieders hot dogs.

Number 31 by Jackson Pollock. Sort of looks like an angry wolverine chewed something bad.