Emphasis

I wish I could claim responsibility for this picture, but I can't. I'll post it anyway.

Recent Pictures

The internet is back on at the house, so I can write again! I have only a few days of internet and computer use here though, since Kevin is moving out. He's found another job with cheaper rent, and is also operating the taxi he owns.

Kevin has brought a lot of things to the house; now that he's leaving I'm going to have to round up my own spatulas, wooden spoons, a dish scrubber, and other things.

While he's still here, I'll take advantage of his computer and post some pictures I've recently taken.








These are pictures of a bear trap in our parking lot. They were taken at night so they're not that great. It sure was surprising to come upon this trap as I walked towards the path that leads down to Creekside! The path is in the woods and there are no lights. If a bear planned to maul someone, that path would be an ideal spot for him to hide!

The Muni (The Powers That Be Who Work for the Resort Municipality of Whistler) sets these traps up when there are reports of bear activity in a certain area. The presence of this trap let me know that a bear was likely in our neighbourhood.

You can see a hunk of meat hanging in the trap. It's like the squirrel traps we used to set up in the basement, with a door hooked up to the food. The bear grabs the meat, trips the door, and is locked in. Once the bear is caught, you simply hook the trap up to a truck, and drive away. Very efficient!

The trap was only there for a day and a half, and I never saw the bear in question. He was either caught and towed away, or the trap was brought somewhere else where it'd be more useful.



Here I am yesterday, wondering how I managed to fail a driving test, and still be asked to drive a monstrous Cadillac Escalade up to Whistler. It was quite posh. You wouldn't think driving a vehicle with a leather and mahogany steering wheel would make any sort of driving difference, and it didn't. But it sure felt nice! It started raining, and the wipers knew when to turn on and off, and when to speed up and slow down.

It was like driving an airplane down the highway. The ride was very cushy and smooth. Unfortunately, I found myself believing I had some sort of entitlement on the roads, since I was driving a huge Cadillac truck. No wonder people in nice cars drive poorly...they (understandably now to me) think they own the road!



Ever since I got my real bedding in the mail, I've been really proud to make my bed every morning. While working the B&B with Mom, I learned how to make a bed properly. Now, ever morning I put the second sheet on, and turn down the bit at the top. I don't tug the sheets as tightly as I did at Crown House though. Climbing into a made bed sure is nice!

When I approached by bed last night, I noted it wasn't made nicely anymore. When I peered closer, I noticed millions of coarse, dirty dog hairs on my sheets, including some slobber. Ani must have snuck into my room, and slept in by bed! She left a trail of disgusting hair behind, and some mucous.

I was pretty upset. I was ready to climb into my freshly-made bed, and now I had dog hair to contend with. I grabbed some of the painting tape that Kevin's been using in his packing, and created a big dog-hair magnet. I then removed all the dog hair from my sheets with an aggressive dabbing motion, moving on to my duvet cover and then my pillow cases. I'm going to wash my sheets tomorrow as well, not only because it's a good thing to do regularly, but also because I don't want any Ani essence lingering in my bed.

I now double check that I've shut my door before I leave, so I don't get my bed sabotaged by Ani again. It's too bad Kevin's moving out, but at least there won't be dog hair everywhere. It's in my laundry, on my socks, in my shoes, and all over the couches. It's great that young Maggie doesn't shed, or Crown House would be covered in white hair.



The mountain opened today, one day earlier than scheduled. The hill typically opens on American Thanksgiving, and that's coming up this weekend. There was just enough snow to open a day early, and everyone was really excited. I heard there were some people lining up last night, in order to get one of the first chairs of the season.



Only the top is rideable, so you must download on the gondola from the top. This guy had the roughest first day imaginable, being brought down by the Ski Patrol in a wheelchair. His girlfriend carries his board. Yikes. How demoralizing.

Even though people were excited about the opening, I don't have a feeling that I'm missing out on anything. If the Bike Park were opening and I wasn't taking part in it, I'd be disappointed. But this winter, snowboarding won't be a priority, and not buying a full pass feels like the right decision to make.

I'm still going to ride though, just not all the time. I'm likely going to buy a 5-day Edge Card, which gives me five days on the mountain, and then entitles me to discounted daily tickets once the five days are used up.

Happy end of November!

Work prospects

I spoke recently with the owner of the company I plan to work for, and also with the head of their Whistler-based operations.

There are lots of contracts lined up, and the Christmas season is looking packed, as is the rest of the winter. Because I'm based in Whistler, I'll have lots of oppurtunity to drive, likely more than the Vancouver-based drivers.

If I want to be a workhorse this season (I do...the last day I worked was on July 4th in China. That's five, count them, FIVE months I haven't worked!) there will be the oppurtunity to drive a lot.

I could drive two Whister return trips in a day, and the work is there and available. I will take as many shifts as I can, hunker down, and work for the season. It will be good, and I'm looking forward to it.

The company as decided to do away with the commission/percentage-based pay scale, and is going back to paying by the hour. That's great for me. I've heard some numbers thrown around, and the amount I could make in a month of hard work is very attractive. I'll be able to take care of various financial responsibilities, as well as possibly buy a computer, in a few months.

So, even in the economic downturn, I have found myself in a job where I can work a lot and be financially secure. Just as long as I pass my driving test first!

Internet Down!

For about a week, we had internet in our house. Kevin was rarely home, so I could spend lots of time blogging and the rest of it. Now, the internet's down!

I'm frustrated, since I can't write anymore.

I'm paying $10/hr at an internet cafe, which is more expensive than the library, but at least here I don't have to wait three hours for computer time.

I think I'd like to buy a laptop. I guess I have to get a job first!

I'll write more if the intenet ever kicks in.

Running in the mountains

Mom and Dad sent me some important things, and they came today on the Greyhound bus. My real bedding was there, as well as my running shoes.

I'm equally excited about both things; I look forward to sleeping in my bed with real bedding, and have been itching to go out for a run. Up until today, I've been sleeping in my sleeping bag, with my pillow dressed in t-shirt. I've also been hankering for a run.

I picked up my goods from the bus station, which was really easy. There's a trail that takes me from my house to Creekside, where the bus station is, in about five minutes. I came back, made my bed, then laced up my running shoes and went for a run.

I ran for about fifty-three minutes, and it felt like no time at all. There's so much to look at and think about while I run here that time goes by very quickly. It's fortunate that there is no snow in the valley, and today it wasn't raining either. I ran in shorts and a poly long sleeve.

Running in Whistler is fantastic. It's been at least two years since I've run in Canadian mountains (I raced in Hong Kong's mountains back in the spring) and it was great to be back.

I ran through the forests near my house, and then onto Whistler mountain for a few minutes, before I turned around and ran around lakes and railroad tracks. It was quite nice.

A great thing about Whistler is the Valley Trail. Whistler is a very spread out community, with the different neighborhoods connected by this convenient path. It's for walkers and riders only, and it's fantastic. You get from anywhere to anywhere on the Valley Trail. The more popular sections are plowed in the winter, and other sections are groomed for traditional cross-country skiing.

I ran a bit on the Valley Trail today, and a bit in the woods and a bit on the mountain. Here are some shots of the Valley Trail that I took last week. While some communities have sidewalks beside the road, the bulk of Whistler's trail system winds through old forests, as well as beside lakes and parks.







I hope to get as much running in as possible before the snow comes, and then I'll look to join a gym to keep my fitness up. We'll see how long I can make my motivation last!

Maslow's Hierarchy of (Whistler) Needs

Back in 1996 when I was in Grade 10, I learned about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. A psychologist named Abraham Maslow came up with a list that identifies the basic human's needs. His list starts with basic needs like food and shelter, and then lists what he feels is required for someone to reach his ultimate goal of Self Actualisation.

Maslow's list has numerous levels. Once a category is achieved, the person can feel confident about moving on to the next level. A person's needs are listed in ascending order, starting at the most basic.

I think Maslow had some things right, and his model can be related to life in Whistler.

For people newly arriving in Whistler, the most basic need is a place to stay; the second need is a ski pass; the next need is a way to make money. In my opinion, Whistler has an ultimate goal, like Maslow's Self Actualization. I don't know what that goal is yet, but for most people it definitely requires a ski pass!

So, here I am thinking about what I'll do about a ski pass. I have a few options.

Most businesses in Whistler are a member of the Chambre of Commerce. Employees of these businesses are eligible for a Spirt Pass, which is a full pass offered at a discounted rate. The rate this year is about $1200. This is the same price as a Midweek Pass than anyone can buy, while the regular price of a full pass is $1879. A single day lift-ticket is $89.

My prospective employer is based in Vancouver, so is not part of the Whistler Chambre of Commerce. Even if it was, I'm not in a position to fork over $1200 for a ski pass. There are ways to get on that Spirit Pass list of course, so a dedicated rider could easily find himself with one if he knew people. He'd still have to pay the $1200 though.

There are options for people who want to ride but don't want a pass, like a collection of five tickets for $350ish, with discounted rates once you use those five days. Obviously there are downsides to this. The main one is only riding five days a year, while living in the land of plenty.

So, I'm considering forgoing a pass this year. It sounds like a bad idea, but the hurdles in front of me seem too high, especially the $1200 one. I am open to the idea of moving down to Vancouver if a job opportunity arises there, so maybe a pass would be a waste of money if I ended leaving town.

I am considering working as much as I can this winter, and going to the gym and running while everyone else is snowboarding. I have some lofty running goals I'd like to hit in the next few years, and a regimented gym schedule would help me accomplish them.

Also, I'm not sure what kind of volume I'll have in the working department, since the economy is unstable. In a weak economy, ski vacations are likely one of the first things to be sacrificed. If people stay away from Whistler, their dollars will stay away from me.

If there's a lot of work, then there will be lots of money to be made and no time to ride. If there is not too much work, then there will be lots of time to ride but fewer dollars to spend on it.

Jon's Whistler Experience version 2.0 is different than the original. I'm not as focused on winter riding, and more focused on addressing different financial responsibilities I have.

Many of my friends are not buying passes this year. Some are planning on working so much that a pass doesn't make sense; some are planning on accessing terrain on their snowmobiles; and others are buying the packs of five tickets. So, if I don't buy a pass, I won't be the only one not on the mountain.

So, Maslow. Is a ski pass really necessary for Self Actualisation in Whistler? We'll see!

Projection e-mail

Kevin is my housemate. He has lots of things in the house, and I barely have anything. Kevin's been in Whistler for sixteen years or so, and has had lots of time to collect things for the house.

The house came with pots pans, knives, forks, dishes, and all that kind of stuff...Kevin didn't bring those. But Kevin did bring some really fun and interesting things, including

• a dartboard and extra darts
• a professional grade juicer
  
• a dog
• a laptop
  
• a coffee maker
• a home theatre system, including speakers and projector

Kevin lets me use everything. The projector is a really good Sony one, and Kevin was happy to tell me that his projector is better than one showing Canuck games in one of the local pubs.

The projector sits on a stack of empty Rubbermaid storage bins, because we don't have a wall unit yet. The projector is hooked up to this computer, the DVD player, and a PS2 video game console. Why would you hook a projector up to a computer?

So I can check my email on the wall, looking at webpages that are almost nine feet long and six feet wide! No similarities to a downy chick unfortunately.



We have a wireless mouse, which makes it easy to lounge on the couch while doing internet things.

There are some downsides to the projector though. The picture isn't back-lit so it doesn't look that great in the day, and the lightbulb in the projector costs $500 so when it blows, you're suddenly broke.

Kevin is a really friendly guy, so even if he didn't bring all these useful things into the house, he'd still be a good housemate. But since he does supply these things, it makes him even better!

Remembrance Day

Today is Remembrance Day. I went to the Whistler ceremony that was held near the firehall.

It was much more well attended than I thought. I figured there would be only few people there, but was surprised to see a few hundred. I got there on time, so I got a good place to stand. Many people trickled in later, and had to stand very far away.



There was a program that we followed, including readings of Flander's Fields in both English and French, and some songs by a Whistler Children's Choir. At 11am there was a very loud cannon, and then two helicopters did a low flyby. There was an American veteran from Vietnam there, but nobody from WWII.



Many wreaths were placed at the cenotaph, and it was touching to see people place their poppies at its base once the ceremony was over. There were misty eyes and a few tears in the crowd.

In the last year I have watched many documentaries about WWII, and have read a number of books that deal with the subject of war. This Remembrance Day was the most significant for me, since I now have a greater understanding of what it represents. I was happy to be part of today's ceremony.

Library Deception II

I've had a lot of fun thinking about my trickery and fraudulent activities at the library, and had planned on keeping the details to myself and my faithful readers.

This morning though, I just couldn't keep it in. I was at a pancake breakfast for Jack, a friend who's running for council. The purpose of this breakfast was to give the public a chance to meet Jack and talk municipal politics. Dennis picked me up, and we arrived when things were in full swing.

We sat at a table populated by people we knew, so the conversation was lively. My friend Renae brought up the library, so I began to explain my rather exciting covert operations there.

When I finished the story, I'm pretty sure I heard crickets chirping and I definitely saw a prairie ball rolling by the table.

After a few long seconds of silence, the conversation turned to my boring and humdrum library activities, and then into who wanted to canvass door-to-door with Jack later? I answered that because I'm a bit burned out of canvassing, I wasn't interested. Renae countered with "Well, hanging out at the library all day, or canvassing. Tough choice..."

So, maybe I'll make another foray into politics, but I'm holding out at the moment because Project Library is meeting with so much success! Today, less than twenty-four hours after my initial three selections were shelved, they've all been borrowed!

I had to replenish the shelf, and I did so with John Irving's The World According to Garp (Owen Meany wasn't available), Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, The Englishman's Boy by Guy Vanderhaeghe, and The Wildfire Season by Stratford's own Andrew Pyper.

I think I need to lay low for awhile, and wait until any potential heat cools off before I spike the shelves again. It will give me some time to think of, and possibly read, new titles worthy of my risk.

With great power comes great responsibility! The people of Whistler will read what I slyly shelve, so it must be good!

Library Deception

I spend a lot of time at the library. I am usually there soon after it opens in the morning, to reserve some computer time in this busy season of resumes and research. Once the mountain opens, I figure the library won't be as busy as people will likely have jobs and want to spend time on the hill.

The library is about a year old, and when I left town two years ago, it was just a hole in the ground and a drawing posted nearby. It's nice to see and use the new facility.

The library was supposed to cost $9 million, but ended up costing $15 million. That's quite a lot! It's caused some dissent in the village, but it's worth it because libraries are great and this one is too.

It was built to be environmentally friendly, and among other green features, has a grass roof that insulates the building. There's also lots of stone work and wood work, making the library fit in with the rest of the village's ski-town architecture.

I'm quite familiar with the library now, and can recognize other people that, like me, spend most of every day there. Another thing I recognize are the books on the first shelf you see when you walk in.



This shelf contains Staff Picks on the top, and New Fiction on the lower levels. New Non-Fiction is found on the opposite side.

You'll notice that on the Staff Picks section, staff members choose books that they enjoy, and put their removable nametag on the jacket. If someone wants to borrow that particular book, they take the nametag off the book, putting the tag in the small, handy box in the middle of the shelf, and take the book to the desk.

I've noticed in my numerous trips past this shelf that there is a high turnover of these recommended books. I've often thought about what I would put on the Staff Picks shelf if I worked at the library.

Then today, look what I found!



Three of my favourite books, all on the Staff Picks shelf! How excellent...three library staff have unknowingly chosen to promote my favourite books!

Either that, or a stealth library patron has scoured the library for good book under the guise of an interested reader, and craftily inserted them among the other Staff Picks. This wily fox would have affixed random names to the chosen books, making them look like legitimate recommendations.

It should be noted that less than two hours after the above picture was taken, Douglas Coupland's Girlfriend in a Coma was absent from the shelf, presumably borrowed.

Success!

My room, and snow.

The office snow-pools have wrapped up, and I wager that very few people thought the snow would fall this early.

We've got snow in the Village, and it stayed around all day. In the past I've participated in snow pools, where you put money in the pot and guess what day the first snow will fall in the Village, and stays all day. That day would have been today.

I woke up and looked out my window, as I heard some people making noise. I sure was surprised to see snow blanketing the parking lot! It continued to snow all day, and snowplows have been busy clearing various parking lots, sidewalks, and roads in town.

Here are some pictures I've taken recently.



This is my front door. I live in a collection of old condos that were built in the 70s I'd guess. That's my window you can see, on the second floor. There are about 50 condos in the project, and mine is the middle one in a line of five. We share walls with people to our left and our right.

I live very close to Creekside. I'll be walking to the Creekside lifts when winter comes. I estimate it'll take me about ten minutes or so.



Here's what I found when I looked out the window this morning.







Here are some shots of my room. I'm the only one in it now, and someone else will move in on Dec 1st. I'll have to share my room at that point, but it'll be worth saving $300 in rent.

I will get my duvet from Stratford, and some proper bedding. Right now I'm sleeping in my sleeping bag, and using a black t-shirt as a pillow case.



The house came with couches, and my housemate Kevin brought this dog. Her name is Ani (after the singer Ani DeFranco) and she's old and out of shape. I had to dive after her this morning so she didn't get off the porch. She had lunged out the door when I left, but I was able to force her back inside.

Kevin brought a lot of electronics to the house, and the house came with dishes and pans, so there's nothing I need.

Things are good here, but I'm looking forward to becoming gainfully employed!

Nobody cares about the important things anymore.

It's unfortunate really.

I saw this sign in two Budget Car Rental windows, one in downtown Vancouver, and one in Richmond just past the airport.

I bet there are thousands more all over Canada, telling everyone that Mr. Hybrid is available. Is he available for a meeting or lunch? Or is he recently single after a messy divorce?