So, first I’m very grateful for everyone’s participation & interest and for simply remembering me after i disappeared with illness and other life conundrums.
Keeping Expectations Balanced with Priorities
Next, extending a warm invitation to come meet us at various parks and gardens where we’ll be with a picnic blanket and a thermos of coffee at checkpoints in:
Langley/Surrey: current til April 19
West End / DT Vancouver: April 19 ~ 25
Metchosin: April 25 ~ 29
Victoria / Oak Bay: April 29 ~ May 3
Pender Isle (Woods & Sparrow): May 3 ~ 10
Fairview / Kits: May 10 ~ 12
North Van / Lynn Valley: May 12 ~ 17
Langley / Surrey: May 17 ~ 25
Home to Tsuchida Cottage: May 25/26
“Main point” of the trip is for my darling wife and adorable son to meet family as well as to reconnect with hugs and gifts with so many of you wonders.
Especially eager to meet kids for Ichiro to hang with at wonderful playground. Also, so grateful for recent friends coming to visit and participating in our life.
My big concern is “crashing” with this illness which puts me out of action for days/weeks. Good news is: doing the best i have in years thanks to some recent treatment protocols and modalities.
I’m doing my best but/and if we can’t meet, no big deal – its complicated and folks have lives/jobs etc, please come to Japan! A safe, efficient, interesting, amusing, and somewhat affordable destination where we will be happy to welcome you with tea and goats.
Preamble: While planning for this trip to Vancouver & Victoria I’ve noticed that yes, obviously, a lot has changed (duh) & a lot of the places (cafés, neighborhoods, parks) I want to visit are definitely tied to nostalgia and memories (and facing ghosts from past life)
nostalgia is a heck of drug
{aside: finding nostalgia for Vancouver past is more potent than thoughts and plans for Vancouver present – neighbourhoods once loved now “not recommended (esp with a toddler who like to pick things up off sidewalk”), no more dim sum carts, hotels with endless extra taxes and fees, restaurants are expensive + tipping, complicated transit zones schemes persist, old haunts gone, so we go one}
Dear Diary:
10:45 in bed eating granola and medications, wife outside running woodchipper, grateful for noise-cancelling headphones.
Today’s “must-do” is organizing 70 days of meds in fishing tackle box.
Ok bye
Anyway, in the meanwhile… I’ve got out of bed, put on the clothes, now going to fold some laundry, rock the dishwasher, and organize some meds before he comes… (Actually looking at the clock I will do 1.5 of those tasks)
37% of me wants to go back to bed, another 15% of me wants to make a video to remind folks about my limitations for BC trip (i.e.: “I/we can’t meet you at *fancy place* at 7 PM for dinner but hey, we’re on a picnic blanket at a park from 11AM till 2PM with a thermos of coffee”)
Otherwise: So now, this is the last week of Ichiro school / the school year begins and ends in March in Japan so there was just graduations and he moved up to the next class which he will only be in for about two weeks total.
We pull him out and then stretch run for getting a whole ton of stuff ready for Canada… Not just the suitcase of medications, the suitcase of gifts (possibly two suitcases), various clothes for rainy weather but also doing all the stuff to get the house in “stand-by mode“ which includes standing up mattresses and fumigations (we’re going into the season of the bugs), having mosquito nets ready for when we come back, packing up the futons and the bags with the “bugs don’t eat me” devices inside plus… Of course the wife needs to renew her drivers license (her birthday is while we are in Canada) and…
We’re hosting a little pizza party as a post show celebration for the bands concert two weeks ago (because yes, we need something else to do), plus a retirement for another pal and “safe pregnancy” for another and i guess “bon voyage” for us. First time to have more than a few folks over, including several kids.
As such, finding a new school for Ichiro to start in September (looking into two or three days a week more nature and fun and free play-based environment… yesterday wife investigated a YMCA program which looked really good except it’s about a 40 minute drive away which is kind of a drag to do but I was able to tell her about the importance of the YMCA in my Dad’s life… Child of a poor single mother in Regina Saskatchewan, that was his hang out and finally charted his career path and his first job out of university was a program Director at YMCA, of course I have the business card).
There’s also the saga of the piano player from our wedding whose husband died recently suddenly (my age, a heart attack) and we’re going tomorrow with the little dump truck to help haul some stuff away… Specifically including a stone specially made for pounding rice in the mochi / no, you can’t make this up. But, we have a dump truck and my wife is endlessly supportive, creative and nothing is impossible so… I just ride along and pretend to help.
So, were less than two weeks out and have too many tasks but what gets done gets done… Yesterday I organized medications and labeled everything, today I am going to try to bang out a little profile for open medicine foundation (you know this group/organization right?) for awareness and *yikes* share my story just as i hit 10 years since “sick day”.
There’s also a call for submissions for University of Idaho in Boise for mail art collage and… I mean, no one ever asks for this kind of stuff specifically so I really feel like I should make something but, maybe I’ll do that on the 9th, mail it on the 10th and fly out on the 11th… Maybe mail it from the airport as a bonus. I have a dear friend who lives in Boise who will be able to go see it in real life… Maybe take her husband and kids (they are adults now) that would make it kind of fun for me.
Also, 1 more round of injection, 1 more setai treatment, and a haircut for me and Ichiro so we are rolling sharp.
I also remind myself that six months ago or a year ago or two years ago I couldn’t do a quarter of what I’m doing now. I am grateful but so anxious.
{gonna be a lot of picnics in parks and when using hotels, booked rooms with kitchenette / going April May will be better cost than July/ August but still, i’m a medically-retired pensioner so gotta be frugal while still showing wife and kiddo funtimes}
Bonus:
My kid got up in his “moose suit” fleece romper, checked out his new art gallery we hung up yesterday, set out granola and bowls for the family, & tuned the radio to Peter Barakan’s NHK radio show playing Grateful Dead’s “Casey Jones’” sung by Warren Zevon (I’m pretty sure) #Parenting
He’s definitely curious, energetic and is developing great taste in music. He spent most of the “public health restriction time” hanging out with adults and that impact is definitely evident.
Briefly: Ichiro, Ryoko and Dave are hopping the jetliner to BC from April 11 – May 25 to introduce Ryoko and Ichiro to family, friends and culture and together enjoy slow adventures and *usual life* with you
Theme: Family, Friends, Parks and Gardens
Locations:
Langley/Surrey: current til April 19
West End / DT Vancouver: April 19 ~ 25
Metchosin: April 25 ~ 29
Victoria / Oak Bay: April 29 ~ May 3
Pender Isle (Woods & Sparrow): May 3 ~ 10
Fairview / Kits: May 10 ~ 12
North Van / Lynn Valley: May 12 ~ 17
Langley / Surrey: May 17 ~ 25
Home to Tsuchida Cottage: May 25/26
Note to Pals *yes you* – get in where you fit in and please be a part of our activities. As such, there is a GDoc to which you can request access with all the deets cause i/we don’t wanna be monitoring all the social comm-channels via pocket-robot while on the ground.
If, for some reason we aren’t able to get together because, I get it, people have lives, and I’m a bit elusive, consider this an invitation to come to Japan, which is safe, efficient, amusing, endlessly interesting, and surprisingly affordable / we will welcome you with enthusiasm and tea.
We want to:
visit parks and gardens (Stanley, Butchart, Bear Creek, Lynn Canyon)
check out White Rock pier, Granville Is market, Lonsdale Shipyards, maybe Steveston & various tea gardens
meet up with pals at the locations above and especially other Ichiro-aged kids (you know who you are)
eat dim sum, perogies, meat pies, fish and chips, etc
hit up low-key museums and chill public spaces
share tea ceremony and awsum gifts (and hugs)
usual things like home centre and grocery stores for Ryoko
BC Invasion trip / energy vs expectations and plans
Memo: we aren’t crossing the USA border for WA, UT, ID, OR etc visits this trip (for various reasons)
Ride hailing service that doesn’t suck (nope, so updated Ubr and Lft)
Are there public restrooms yet? (seems like mostly “no” including at Skytrain, shocking!)
yikes tipping!?!?! and taxes? how does that all work again (yes, onerous, will avoid restaurants to over-stim and thrifty reasons)
Considerations / Disclaimers:
Dave avoiding MECFS “crash” by pacing activities, limiting transportation and exertion [read more about MECFS], by:
avoiding restaurants at busy times / dinners (i.e. hotel breakfasts, picnic lunches etc) to limit over-stim
not getting overwhelmed by planning and details – let’s enjoy time together, not on phone / social planning
of course, realizing albeit sadly, we won’t be able to do everything and meet up with everyone and some things will get canceled… it’s just the way the world works with the illness
& obv, avoiding C19 (makes return to Japan complicated etc etc)
In 2015, Nepal suffered a series of cataclysmic earthquakes, devastating villages… {I suppose it’s worth noting that this was also in the week of some other conundrums and tragedies involving the royal family and cataclysmic change in government and society in general}.
Anyhow, living in Vancouver at a time, and feeling lousy about my then-new-found health situation, I tried to participate in various relief efforts and *at least* document and amplify as best i could.
riffs and musings about Nepal
Since my childhood fascination with the Himalaya mountains and the thought of drinking yak milk tea high altitude, villages, Nepal held a place in my heart. {I also have a dear friend from the country who’s helped me out in multiple times of disarray}.
As it goes, a few years later, I finally made my first visit to the country for an extended Ayurveda treatment and was unbelievably charmed and fascinated by the intrepid and kind nature of the Nepali people.
As such, this post is simply to remind myself, others and history about the grassroots efforts that went on at the time to bring relief.
Postcards: Specifically, I did my own campaign of “Postcards for Nepal” in which anyone who demonstrated some activity to support Nepal relief efforts, would receive one of my handmade postcards. Not a big deal i realize but you do with what you have.
Postcards from Nepal relief
evidence of postcards for Nepal
Campaign posters: And, as is my habit, I documented handbills and flyers for other relief efforts and campaigns and did my best to donate and promote Nepal relief efforts and admired the grassroots and creativity of many of the initiatives. I see you.
HUGE HUGE respect for the folks sparking these campaigns and initiatives, i see you and sharing these for archival history
another really interesting grassroots initiative to send medical equipment. As I recall, there was also some early instances of 3-D printing put to use during this time
Food: I also worked with then-nearby Gurkha Nepal restaurant who were hosting weekly lunches and dinners at which proceeds went to the relief efforts.
checking in from Gurkha restuarant
Some really nice guys working there (as I understand, they subsequently sold and moved on). Also noting that i chronically misspelled the name of the restaurant.
After a pleasant coffee conversation with a pal in ATX, i headed to the kura barn studio to practice a poem reading for Muriel’s Journey at Word Vancouver (which i recorded) and took a few snaps of some things that my pal (and prob you, since you are also a pal right?) might enjoy, while also making mixed cassettes (from a USB drive) and packing burned CDs (in recycled envelopes).
Pith helmet and Callahan’s cap (with breaker box and Palau storyboard)tissues in knit cozy, Amish hat, peyote mask, TEDx glass tray and glorious flat file with stamped labels2012 vintage Macbook burning CDs on songs and postcards (with Vancouver montage and Marty originals in bg)filming Muriel’s Journey poetry riff on iPad with lights and micnote the top deck, a TEAC is a CD, cassette, USB, karaoke – in this case, making cassettes from digital source (recursive!)liner notes for mix tapes and CDs, made with stamps and typewriter (obv)recycled envelopes to ship mix cassettes and CDs to pals, maybe you
As it goes, looks a little computery in here but i keep it all pretty analog and purposely keep it “internet-free” zone. Shuttle creations back and forth to “basecamp” with various sneaker-net schemes.
Update:
Making mixed cassettes and burning CDs with a “DaveO variety show” of audio collages, postcard soundscapes, spoken songs, stories, and songs down in collaboration with fine musician pals. 
Typing up the tracklist/liner notes, sprucing up with inky stamps, making mailers from card stock & washi tape.
Four into the postal wormhole yesterday, couple more ready today.
Who still has a cassette deck and/or “regular” CD player?
Note: Recently dug out a “ruggedized” Olympus camera from wife’s stash, found a cord and a memory chip and put it back into service >> Lots of onboard effects and variations in settings and importantly allows me to go out and document life without my fully functional pocket robot of distractions.
Gist: I read a poem at Word Vancouver online event with a splendid group of poets! Thanks to Isabella Mori and Muriel’s Journey folks for including me, and hat-tip to Kyle Hawke for editing.
here’s the whole event, stick-handled by Adam, i’m around the 28 min mark
Tip: buy the “Fire from the Heart: Winners of the 2022 Muriel’s Journey Poetry Prize” chapbook and read these poems. Powerful medicine!
Score directly from Amazon Japan for ¥964 {Also available from other country specific Amazon of course}
I’m reading at this unique & enchanting poetry event. Online & in person in Vancouver as part of 2022 Muriel’s Journey Poetry prize at Word Vancouver..
The “origin document“ of Forgotten Vancouver Stories talk
Projects of all kinds, a talk/presentation in this case, usually start with some kind of plan… (seems obvious so i’ll explain further).
In this instance, this is the *origin document* of what turned into a talk for Pecha Kucha night Vancouver “All-Star edition” at Vogue Theatre in the 20 slides for 20 seconds each format. e
Later, the “slides” became part of a longer form version at “Poets, Punks and Revolutions: Forgotten Vancouver Stories,” Northern Voice in a three-dimensional mixed media environment (campfire on stage, easels, record players, a comfortable chair and so on.
The idea started at a sort-of-secret-hideout with single malt, in conversation with a (now-former) mayor of Vancouver, his chief of staff, and the CEO of a significant company. Realizing the mayor didn’t really know a lot of renegade Vancouver stories, especially around counter-culture, I riffed off a few and later thought might be useful, amusing/educational/entertaining, or whatever for a wider audience.
Sometime along the way (late 2019?), Grant Lawrence, BC broadcaster and writer (and Tin Tin fan), had some question for me about the erstwhile pandemic which was here in Japan before *everywhere else* plus lots was going on in our little world, while his extraordinary wife Jill Barber was preparing for a virtual show at the legendary Palomar where my Uncle Lorne was once the maitre’d and the memory inspired this letter. I am stashing here as a diary of sorts as it catches a lot of the spirit of the time as i share some thoughts about his book Dirty Windshields and other topics. Might make sense to you, either way, carry on.
Grant and I with a crappy camera at CBC open house, prob 2006
Hello Grant, Enjoyed all the updates… Been a wild summer on this side of the Pacific for us ~ which recalls your initial questions to me back in early February when the schools in Japan were just shutting down and you were curious about how people would handle this… Or how far we’ve come!
We now have a wonderful little dude with the middle name of “Stanley“ born just before the NHL came back (not quite enough good luck with that name but still…), followed by a very unique Buddhist funeral circumstance, then a Typhoon, my 50th birthday (which included a personal archaeology project when my entire life archive a ride from various storage lockers to 150 year old grain barn now art studio/music lounge) and just recently, an oddly awesome exhibit of my poems and paintings at a goat farm, plus my singer wife (& pandemic rock who has also stick-handled through reams of paper work getting me and the official in Japan and a little dude official in Canada) returns to the stage at a cavernous convention center with her bossanova blues the same weekend as your wife hits (my great uncle’s old haunt) of the Palomar / we’re planning on “being there“.
Also, Dirty Windshield should be longer, not shorter… I mean I really enjoyed all of your books but this one was like reading about my own parallel life, ergo: we were in the same places in similar situation is just different years and circumstances. From punk rock tour vans in Germany to getting robbed in Washington DC to underground explosions in Olympia (where touring bands crashed at my house dubbed “hockey lounge“), bewildered in Japanese labyrinths, VW vans with lightspeed snowstorms & de-icing lighters… and many points in between.
evidence of my kin at the Palomar
Of course, I was Whalley trekking in by bus to York theater & making zines while you were in West Van doing the same stuff with Nards – just in different suburbs and, back in those days crossing a river *and* an inlet might as well be crossing the English channel.
Anyhow, thanks for the update – I love living here but I’ve been very much in the “Japan bubble” since all of this began so it’s nice to hear familiar riffs / let’s get you and the family over to Okayama for top-shelf beer at the goat farm, &/or a goat milk lattes! No these goats are not on the roof and they don’t do yoga.
And yes, we have trains, lots of trains which sparks a whole other idea…
dvo
Dave (with specs obv) and Dan and Bob along with Uncle Lorne who sorta inspired this riff
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