Project: Upon turning 50 years old on August 16, 2020, Dave Olson (me, hello) is posting a photo (or maybe photos) a day / per year – starting with 1970 with intent of chronicling existence through various primary evidence sourced from studio portraits, class photos, ID / passport photos, or occasionally other “casual/group/random” shots when the above don’t exist in my archive (note: not “artificial intelligence,” really me, pulled from shoeboxes, journals, wallets and whatnot – diligently scanned and dated via glasses and haircuts, lightly annotated).
Memento: Reggie Watts and “Hootsuite Guys” / Tectoria, 2012
The early days of Hootsuite was a wild barrage of excitement and activities including a lot of semi-related speaking gigs which were on “my own time” but often relating to experience gained while doing start-up companies including this particular social media software project.
In this example, my co-conspirator and fellow vice president (me community, and him business development) Greg Gunn went back to Greg’s hometown of Victoria, BC (where i later lived for a bit) for a “Experience Tectoria” event which ran in tandem with the fantastic Rifflandia festival (for which we received VIP passes and a fancy hotel).
We did a Keynote on a Boat at Experience Tectoria (spiel with orcas and beers) – Roundup in the lovely harbour with “12 pieces of wisdom” learned from doing this and other start-ups. It was one of the funniest and most fun speaking gigs ever and, was interrupted as a pod of orca whales (seriously) was breaching off the side of the boat, so we could pause to see the grandeur.
There was abundant food and beer on offer during the talk, and at the end I was given a case of “bomber” bottles which, shockingly and only time ever, I had to decline as I had an opportunity to rush over to the music festival to catch my buddy Dan Mangan perform – at the time a rising star, now a solid presence, Juno-award winner and a start up founder himself.
As part of the programming, Reggie Watts also performed and had a chance to hang out with him for a “session” plus Wayne Coyne from The Flaming Lips came to check out the event (but sadly wasn’t at our talk – though i did say hello and later rocked out to his band’s stellar outdoor performance) – I also judged a start-up pitch panel, choosing a winner and went on to be at on their advisory board (Kiind / Giftbit).
Audio: Some years afterwards, some video clips surfaced, I extracted some audio, cleaned it up and released for educational use as Keynote Aboard a Boat.
PS Goes without saying neither Greg nor I are with Hootsuite anymore.
Hemp cannabis pioneer entrepreneurs in Victoria, Canada are featured in this chapter of 1996/7 documentary film in which host/producer Dave Olson (hello) visits with interesting characters including:
* Ian Hunter, Victoria Mayoral candidate & Sacred Herb shop
Scotty, the man who made me dig haircuts. He plays country punk, served me a bevvie and gave me laughs.
While i started enjoying haircuts when i found a barber shop which also offered libations, good tunes, pinball and the like,… since “the illness” I made a list of things I can do which involves sitting down, but gets me out of the house, and leaves me with a feeling of satisfaction.
These include: making scrapbooks, seeing matinée movies, sitting in parks under a tree, getting my beard professionally trimmed (rather than chopping at it myself) plus trim up the haircut,… as well as pedicures documented elsewhere.
While rambling, i like to seek out the hole-in-the-wall, no fuss, traditional barbers and enjoy a leisurely visit. Its hit or miss sometimes but ya know, hair grows back right?
This is Mr. Bong who’s shop in Las Vegas is hidden down corridors of a less-attractive hotel, the decorations are cheap and cheesy and location lousy but the cut and company great. He called my cut something… something to do with my affection for writing poetry… i can’t recall though i recall his name, Bong.
Sometimes, not always, i grab a snap with the barber or the shop or me before and after… sometimes i don’t so you won’t see those. Oh sometimes i recall names and/or locations, this is not meant to be comprehensive, just amusing and vaguely documentary.
This assortment features barbers in Canada and USA, moreorless (pending).
Rolling from Jack London Square in Oakland, California through the night on Amtrak, look out at Portland, hop off Centralia, then from Provo to SLC on Watsatch Frontrunner train with a bit of poetry… then flying by Harbour Air seaplane from Victoria to Vancouver.
Scrapbook: Victoria, 2016 / “Guide to Goodtimes” personal ephemera (hyaku yen, ring binding, cover)
This book was assembled in a real tough stretch of time – medically and mentally. A summer in which i came close to “giving up” – the details are still too real and painful so instead i’ll tell you this: This book was a 100 yen store gift from brother Bob and/or Mom and a great layout, size and heft for my usage. To try to keep myself motivated and cheered up, i filled with bits of inspiration: photos of me and others with smiles, scraps of mantras, colourful things from events, brochures and activities going on around the city i was living at the time (Victoria, BC). There isn’t a chronology or narrative per se, just items old and new and lost and found which made me sorta smile. I was really trying to improve and instead fell apart. Badly, i’m still here though. #survived.
Scrapbook: Guide to Good Times, Victoria, 2016 (inside back cover)Scrapbook: Guide to Good Times, Victoria, 2016 (back cover)
Mixed Media Artist + Author Nick Bantock (of Griffin and Sabine etc fame) and Dave (me)
Not too many mixed media masters creating ephemera-laden epistolary literature weaving intriguing mysterious relationships, international intrigue, and postcards.
That gets a smile out of this lad – still with a heavy heart. I took my mom’s copy of his book “Griffin and Sabine” and he provided a most wonderful signature with stamps of various kinds.
Such healing and respect. More to share about encounters with this gent.
Dave with Tragically Hip “Man, Machine, Poem” tour kick-off ticket
Pal Julian (L) finds his kindred doppleganger (hockey sweater speaking anyhow)
Tragically Hip, Victoria, BC, July 22nd, 2016 setlist, part 1 – with annotations
Tragically Hip, Victoria, BC, July 22nd, 2016 setlist, part 2 – with annotations
Tragically Hip, Victoria, BC, July 22nd, 2016 setlist, part 3 – with annotations
Notes (to edit)
Choosing which hat to wear to tonight #TragicallyHip show in #Victoria. Trilby or Mountie or…? Also, preshow meal jerked, beer can chicken
By the end, Gord was clearly spent but there was no melancholy or nostalgia or even banter throughout the show until he blew kisses and said thank you 100 times during the encores. Note the five song on encore set (two sets really)
The show started quick out of the gates while people were still lining up for beer and merch… There was an announcement that “the show will start in five minutes” and BAM! it came out of the gates like a rocket. So no Hip chant but, later in the show there was a “Gordie” chant. The outpouring of love from the crowd was unbelievable. Everyone on their feet and cheering like there’s no dress rehearsal, this is our life.
And while there was a fair bit of Gord ad-libbing, mimeing and other hijinx, he kept his schtick shorter and more concise so they could pack more songs into the allotted time. A lot of songs in just over two hours.
Also, Bobby Baker must’ve played a dozen different guitars at least.
Also worth noting, in the first set, the band played kind of “in the round” very close together and facing sort of each other, with video screen in black and white above them.
Johnny Fay used two different drum kits, both on the stage at the same time
Paul Langois has maybe the worst beard I’ve ever seen.
Sinclair’s bass cut through loud – like where it gives you that good kick in the sternum.
Gord did the microphone with cord as fishing reel and paintbrush amongst other things. Less of the “whirling dervish” and yes, more subtle antics.
Statistic of the night: number of shiny lamé suits Gord wore… 3. Purple, Silver, Gold
There were four songs if I recall correctly from the new album – all played in the series in the second half of first set. There was sort of a short break but not a true intermission, Gord changed his suit and some lightning storm video played.
The 4 players -As usual I suppose-barely cracked a smile. Game face all the way. Black, gray, white clothes contrasting with Gord’s shininess and resplendent hat with enormous feathers.
And for sure Gord looks skinny but not drastically unwell. And his voice was in top form.
Honestly it wasn’t sad until the end when there were some teary-eyes, including mine, during wheat kings and ahead by a century.
I will note, on some of the slow tempo songs, the band was sort of fighting about the speed, but that’s first show of the tour and lots of adrenaline.
