Ichiro: card #38 “pals perhaps” (with Maru the bunny) / 8.28
#IchiroOlson / card no. 38 of series #io
Ichiro: card #38 “pals perhaps” (with Maru the bunny) / 8.28
#IchiroOlson / card no. 38 of series #io
On my birthday August 16, 2017, I found myself in Provo, Utah sleeping in yet another bed in which someone died.
I try to forget about the day and it’s entirety, fiddled with assembling chapbooks as gifts, stamping inky thumbprints on them and giving them to folks who i pretend were pleased, and reading poems by Richard Brautigan.
Then the potter Marty Kendall and I went to see the grave of our dear pal Rod Howard Ash who passed away shortly before at an untimely age. I brought him a poem on vintage hotel letterhead written when I heard about his death wow meandering seas between the Suez. Somewhere in Aqaba or Olympia. (note: inspired a cycle of the “Items: Forgotten” series called “Time Traveller“).
This marker was a temporary one, apparently is changed now. I think about this kind man all the time, so much style so much cool. Ugh.
Worth noting a few months before, during memorial day weekend, we threw a party called “creepers and chums” as a tribute to him and my mother who well, also died.
PS Later that night we went to see Rod’s best pal Mikael Lewis perform and he sang a song we wrote about yet another dead pal Foster.
Note: after moving from Lansing, Michigan to Surrey, BC in 1974/5, we lived on 154th St. in Guilford area on a dirt road with a rented house which backed into a whole bunch of forest. I attended Harold Bishop elementary school before moving to Whalley (95 ave.) in middle for Grade 4.
In the nearby woods, my friend Chris Goodman and I found a huge stash of lumber (also note in there was a few burnt out old houses in a field across from us) we salvage things and made large dangerous tree houses. I recall we played wide-games in the forest as well as epic street hockey games at the dead end by a new doctor’s office.
This area was quickly developed with a big new library and a massive mall. The building still exist though the house is long gone, the roads paved etc. etc.
This was around the time I did the Pig Express newsletter and wrangled up various gangs of “good kids” for activities and what not. Realizing now this was *important* because there was a lot of dangerous characters around the neighbourhood including the one who shall not be named.
Jaime Stein, 13, January 2018
This week was my final week at Hootsuite. I had an incredible 3+ years and am thankful to people like Ryan Holmes, Matt Switzer, Cameron Uganec and Dave Olson who gave me the opportunity to work at the nest. #HootsuiteLife
{he goes on to share dozens of stories from the intersection of startup life and personal adventures/growth… link above to read}
##
{i replied thusly – pardon errors]
Well I’m a little late to the conversation, but have a lot to say about this starting with your skills as an actual practitioner, meaning someone who “uses social media to talk about something other than social media“…
Next, admiration for your creative promotional work with the #CFL and (proudly) announcing the #Greycup as the Canadian Twitter trend of year on @TheSportMarket radio with Tom Mayeknect & @bobmackin (Also noting the league’s “challenges” in attracting a younger audience since your departure) #Underappreciated
Then, seeing you gracefully switch gears to #ING – including managing social brand transition to #Tangerine. Pleased, you brought your whole team, plus local social practitioners, to the Toronto #HootUp during #NXNE for their “scarfing ceremony”.
You respectfully and kindly asked my “permission” to borrow the scarf idea for your superstar saver program (which I hearitly “gave”) and then did great cross promotion with the related Tumblr blog (now sadly gone) and even featured me :-) #AlsoACustomer
Launching the Vancouver #Tangerine office was a blast when we “scarfed in” CEO Peter Aceto even though I had to stand on my tippy toes to kiss him on the cheek. You (and colleagues of course) brought personality to a typically faceless / bland industry.
At Hootsuite, despite your experience, you came in with enthusiasm and humility. A powerful combination. You were willing to do whatever it took to bake yourself into the team(s) and fulfill the bigger purposes, not just “padding your stats”.
When I had to leave Hoot for medical purposes, I was so concerned about the continuation of the culture… Not the “Icings” and parties, but continuing the deeply ingrained – but hardly automatic – practical part of social media: giving each customer #OneHugAtATime
One of my definite, albeit unofficial, roles at HootSuite was as a purveyor and amplifier of culture: from beards (of which I was the first :>) to parliaments to coffees to unabashed enthusiasm for mentoring young workers, I “passed the torch” to you and you delivered for more than I ever could.
Watching your recent efforts, I felt so pleased to know that the international markets in particular, which are very close to my heart, were given such respect and personalized attention. Especially #APAC #Europe and #government agencies. I planted many seeds years ago and you gardened them so very expertly.
When I happened by the #Toronto office last summer, I was in a deep trough of personal confusion and your enthusiastic and sincere welcome – and acknowledging to colleagues –the work I’ve done in the early days of the company, meant very much to me. It’s hard to vanish.
Even more recently, while I was dealing with a very lonely “holiday” time, you virtually celebrated my “Jewish Christmas” of a movie and Chinese food with me. Best festive wishes.
While I am no longer in the “industry” and now just a wandering poet (possibly fulfilling my true life’s intention) I am forever in your corner and happy to help you in anyway I can: from funny photos to, (heaven forbid) Linkedin recommendations, to virtual hugs, just ask.
So happy to have pals, often with beards it seems, but not always
Such Dude-pals for whom i am grateful
PS I have more, several, i hope you
Another batch of fine, dignified, kindly dude pals and man friends from year past / #brethren
Barbara Jane says: Dave, my first love at 5 years old – first long haired dude I loved…so great to see you buddy! Thanks for hosting an amazing gathering in memoriam! Thanks for visiting and happy travels ?⭐️. — with Dave Olson at Wasatch National Forest.
More to say about the meaning behind this pin acquired when i was learning about what mean to be aware of international affairs and digging below superficial news bulletins concerning the issues in far-away lands – in this case disputes in Poland in the surprisingly heady days of 1980s… but in the meantime…
PS exclaiming in a whisper my solidarity with shut-ins, spoonies, fibroids, cfsme kids, intrepid, travelers, seekers, healers, grinders, pals, forgotten, strugglers, stragglers, smugglers.