BEFORE YOU DIE

Kind of sad, Dave Freeman, the co-author of "100 Things to Do Before You Die" passed away. Ironically, this daredevil did not die surfing or running with the bulls but from a head injury at home. Apparently he at least got half way through the list.

Does thinking about death bring your life into greater focus?
The rise of 'before you dieism', BBC News, August 27, 2008

DAD RESUME

Dad is like a walking billboard of every place I've ever worked in radio. It's my resume in sweatshirts. This must be over 20 years old, dating back to 1988 when I was a DJ at rock station K97 in Kamloops. His other well worn favorite is one from All Hit 1040 Kicks - a sweatshirt commemorating when I last took part in the PNE parade marching through the West End in downtown Vancouver.

DIFFERENT P.O.V.

LOOKING AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY. There's a street artist on site at the PNE who doesn't say anything. He just starts painting. Large crowds gather just watching him make bold paint strokes trying to figure out what he's painting. Then at the end with great flourish he turns his canvass upside down to reveal his final creation.

RICKETY ROLLERCOASTER

50 YEARS YOUNG.
Looks like someone threw together some 2 x 4s all willy-nilly.

Part of this coaster's charm is the anticipation, the imagined.
Listen to its rickety whirr sounding like it could fall apart any minute.

BLING IT ON

I love this job. What's not to adore about co-workers decked out in spangly rhinestone kerchiefs and sparkly dog collars and owners with shiny gold or silver lame jackets? Since the Superdogs show is on the way to the office, I get to enjoy their show everyday. It's the best. Every show is slightly different to keep the dogs motivated and I don't ever seem to tire of watching them.

LITTLE DONUTS

THOSE LITTLE DONUTS. Auntie Harumi says she hasn't visited the PNE for over 30 years. She stopped by for a surprise visit and between tours, we hung out eating our way through the Fair.

WHEELS OF STEEL. Lots of free shows on-site. Of all the people, I never thought I'd be watching motocross racers doing backflips with my retired art gallery, book loving, fine arts appreciating Auntie. But here we are on a beautiful summer day, hanging out at the PNE.

"I just think of all the money I'm saving on hotel and airfare and treat myself well. Since I retired, everyday's a vacation."
-Auntie Harumi

BATH CUBE

BACK IN D.C. EJ is finishing up the last of the bathroom renovations. Part of the wall on the stairway leading upstairs was carved out to bring more natural light into the bathroom. Now Eric's working on installing glass to keep light in but sounds and smells private.

EASTERN INSPIRED. According to EJ, "The idea behind the bathroom was to make a cube of glass within which to bath. In achieving this, we removed the wall above the door and the boxed in area above the existing closet so that the barrel vault could be seen going up, over and down. The influence here are baths in Japan and Turkey. Really places that are restful areas in which to bath and retreat. "

BIRTHDAY BARBECUE

Barbecue at Tsuchiyas. Dad prepared some salmon for Uncle Bill to barbecue on his new gas grill. Lots of August birthdays in the family. Hailing from a family of fishermen, the boats docked for the winter around November/December.

Happy Birthday...
Mom & Auntie May
Uncle Joji

Auntie Deanna

Jason
Sean

Looking good for 72. Mom and Auntie May. Who's older? According to Japanese folklore, whoever comes out first isn't necessarily the eldest. The baby that stays in the womb longer is considered the elder because they graciously let their younger sibling go out first.

BUSY DAY AT WORK

WHAT IS HIP?

TOWER OF POWER
Hailing from Oakland, California this 10 piece soul band has been together for over 40 years with its killer horn section. Auntie Deanna and I enjoyed a smashing performance on the grounds of the PNE Thursday night. OK, so it's a bit of a cheat, but it's the closest I can get to sharing this stellar evening with you. Here's a video clip from a 2006 Montreaux performance with Carlos Santana.

ONE DEGREE OF SEPARATION

So Eric is only one degree away from Kevin Bacon in a couple of different ways. Monday night's band at the PNE was the Bacon Brothers and I passed them by on the way home. But even more prestigious a connection is Eric's book To Scale was cited as a reference source in the company of Kevin Bacon's late father Edmund Bacon's "Design of Cities" along with esteemed scholar Peter Rowe.

Joshua Simoneau of Koetter Kim & Associates in Boston has been named the 2008 Rotch Travelling Scholar, winner of the an annual design competition for designers age 35 and younger. Eric's To Scale is listed on Simoneau's reading list. It is wonderful to know that Eric's book sits on someone's bookshelf right next to some other classic architecture and urban planning reference books.

TEARY TUESDAY

Today the PNE agrodome was filled with the rapid-fire musical patter of a professional auctioneer selling cows and steer from 4H kids who have raised the animals with this in mind. With the plaintive mooing sounds, I didn't know if I felt more sorry for the animals or the kids. But fetching prices of up to $8 per pound on a 1,000 pound steer, there is some measure of comfort in knowing it's also their future college fund.

Good thing this cow can't read.

MOM, DAD & RUBY AT THE PNE

Dad, Mom and family friend, Ruby came to the PNE to visit me in the Hastings Park Sanctuary and to catch Ruby's niece line dancing at Festival Square. Or perhaps the real attraction is the new 600 slot machines at Hastings Racecourse casino.

We caught the Dal Richards Orchestra for some swingin' tunes. Ruby remembers Dal back in the day when he used to play the lounge at the Hotel Vancouver. This Legendary King of Swing has been playing the PNE for over 69 years. Hey, if a 90 year old guy can play 17 days straight, singing and playing sax, two shows a day at 11:30 am and 1:30 pm, then I can "work" straight through as well.

Here's a factoid for my sister-in-law Annette and her daughter Erin who are Michael Buble fans. Did you know that Vancouver's very own jazz hearthrob was discovered at the PNE?

Dad caught me sleeping on the job.

C-LOVERS FISH AND CHIPS AT THE PNE -- the best. Mmmm hand-cut fries doused in malt vinegar! The line-ups speak volumes about their quality. Prices are reasonable, the cost similar to many of the fish and chips places around town. 2 pc fish and chips for $9.99 a meal that can be easily split by 2, look at the size of the cod. Mom splurged on halibut. You have to wait a little longer but so good. There are picnic tables close by to enjoy open air dining where the smell of deep fried whales tails and barbecue chicken waft by.

ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS. Seeing the BCTV evening news broadcast live with the blond highlights of Pamela Martin and the powder pancake make-up applied on Bill Good Jr., Superdogs and the Peking Acrobats. Though these aren't clips from this year's PNE show, they give you a taste of some of the incredible feats we enjoyed.

NOT ENOUGH SPACE? GO VERTICAL



SAVING ON GAS

RUNNING AWAY WITH THE CIRCUS. Working at the PNE amidst dogs dancing on their hind legs, strolling street performers and double jointed acrobats, this summer is a bit of a vicarious thrill, the closest I get to joining the big top.

HERE FOR A GOOD TIME

Working for the PNE - The Best Gig Ever

Yesterday was my first day at work. Wonderful gig. I just walk around showing people plants. Highlight of today was seeing a blue heron, full wing span swooping low across the water. In between, on my way to the administration office, I get to catch the Superdogs, walk through the barns visiting with bunnies, cows and llamas. I pity the person sweating it out in the fuzzy KC the bear PNE mascot uniform, happily smiling on the outside on this hot, sunny day.

Get To Smell Fried Food All Day Long

I love soaking up the wonderful sights and sounds of the annual Fair at the PNE -- the smell of fried onions from Jimmy's, fried fish and chips, mini-donuts, corn dogs -- I suppose anything and everything fried smells good to me.

Who Doesn't Love a Parade?

Sure, it's corny, but I also enjoy watching the mini parade of inflatable floats and pre-tween dance groups where somebody's Mom let loose on the makeup application with their kids and their neighbour's kids looking like Jon Benet Ramsey meets Tammy Faye Baker. Plus there are little kids in the audience bouncing up and down, dancing to the cloyingly sweet Toontastic music, a little girl with shiny black hair and pig tails is waving frantically to catch the attention of one of the pink Care Bears to give a high five.

Music Galore

One of the perks of the job is getting to stay free to see the evening concert series. Tonight I got to see a lot of screaming teenagers and parents wait for Billy Ray Cyrus ala Achy Breaky Heart fame also known as Hannah Montana or Miley Cyrus' Dad.

Yesterday, I enjoyed one of my favorite bands from the 70s-80s, Trooper. The two band mates Brian Smith and Ra McGuire have been described as the Keith Richards and Mick Jagger of Canada. They kicked off yesterday night's concert with this classic.

We're Here For A Good Time (Not A Long Time)

A very good friend of mine
Told me something the other day
I'd like to pass it in to you
Cause I believe what he said to be true
He said

We're here for a good time
Not a long time (not a long time)
So have a good time
The sun can't shine every day

And the sun is shinin'
In this rainy city
And the sun is shinin'
Oooooh, isn't it a pity
And every year,
has it's share of tears
And every now and then it's gotta rain

We're here for a good time
Not a long time
So have a good time
The sun can't shine every day

And the sun is shinin'
In this rainy city
And the sun is shinin'
Oooooh, isn't it a pity
That every year, has it's share of tears
Every now and then it's gotta rain

We're here for a good time
Not a long time
So have a good time
The sun can't shine every day

Lyrics By: Ra McGuire, Music By: Brian Smith
Copyright: Smith/McGuire © 1977 MCA Records Ltd.

1st DAY AT WORK

Today's my first day at work. I got the job as the Sanctuary Guide for the Hastings Park Sanctuary during the Fair at the Pacific National Exhibition and will be working 17 days straight giving three half hour tours per day at 1 pm, 3 pm, 5 pm from now through Labor Day.

I am a little nervous this morning but Eric's sage advice to me is calming, the same advice he dispenses to new professors, "Just remember, you know just a little more than they do."

What is also relieving first day jitters is that when I asked my Mom and Dad if they had a change purse they could lend me, here's all the choices they brought out. I think I'm going to use the brown change purse which is apropos as my Dad tells me is actually mine from my Girl Guide days. It's the change purse my Father has been taking to the casino to store change. It even has a belt loop and ADRIENNE inscribed in scrawly girrly black ink on the inside flap and I can barely make out OYE.

My Mom insists I take the green insulated lunch bag as I mentioned I might take some leftovers from my Chinese food dinner from last night's rendezvous with Auntie Deanna -- my favorite -- deep fried breaded almond chicken. I worry I might lose it but she said it's only a $1 from the dollar store.

Every night, a different band plays at the PNE. Tonight's free show is Trooper, a Vancouver rock band that was popular back in the late 70s and 80s around the same time as Loverboy. Since I get off work around 5:30 pm, I plan to stick around and perhaps I'll pull out something from my lunch bag or maybe pull out some money from my girl guide pouch and buy a corn dog to enjoy the tastes and sounds of summer.

CRAFTY PEOPLE

Check it out. Mom's latest craft creation. It's a crocheted bag. Look closer, it's very enviro-friendly. It's made from recycled plastic Safeway grocery bags. It takes around 25-40 bags to stitch together a purse. Here's a link to the original article which inspired her. Look out Kate Spade!

"Reusable Bag Making", Green Scene, Vancouver Sun, July 1, 2008

How to Turn Your Plastic Bags Into a Ball of Plastic Yarn/String

Top 7 Links For Crocheting With "Yarn" Made From Plastic Bags

SALON CHARLES

At the shop my Mom used to work they once asked her where she got her hair done, my Mom said "Mr. Charles. As a matter of fact, he's coming over right now". At which point she turned to introduce my Dad, Chuck who is the secret in her economical beauty arsenal. My Dad is ever so patient enough to indulge my Mother in dying her hair and she in turn cuts his hair given that my Dad never found a new barber shop after his barber, KC retired.

MIKI TV

Mom and I are testing out the web cam.
We are trying to get the knack of how to put ourselves in frame.

This video is dedicated to her son-in-law Eric &
his mother, Betty, in tribute to raising such a handy son.
Here's our self-directed short called:

Mama-san's New Breadbox



Talent, Writer, Producer: Miki Oye
Webographer, Director: Adrienne Jenkins

WAKE-UP CALL

SKYPE & WEB CAM. I am sure that for some 14 year olds out there, the magic of a web cam has long since lost its fairy dust. But for a slow adopter like myself, getting to see my kitty kat and husband via web cam thousands of miles away is amazing to me. Eric's new computer has a web cam and we tried it out for the first time today. Instant video phone. If you haven't heard of Skype already, it allows you to make calls from your computer - free to other people who are signed up with Skype and a small cost to call landlines. It was a godsend when we were overseas as we were able to call our parents inexpensively using a cheap $10 headset.

2,896 MILES FROM WASHINGTON TO VANCOUVER. By the way, to update this post, I checked online to find the distance from Washington to Vancouver. Google makes a drive across country sound like a short weekend getaway.

E-POSTCARD

Greetings from Beautiful British Columbia!

I realize it's been about a month since my last post but I've been in Vancouver, Canada for my cousin Kristi's wedding. Eric came for a short holiday as well but has since returned to D.C. over a week or so ago. I have been focused on writing, gardening, chill-axing as Auntie Deanna would say, hanging with Mom & Dad, visiting friends and relatives and generally having a wonderful time enjoying the city.

At the end of this week, I'll be working for 17 glorious days at the equivalent of a state fair as a tour guide of the Hastings Park Sanctuary during the Fair at the Pacific National Exhibition from Saturday, August 16th through Labor Day Monday, September 1st. So check back in throughout the week as I thought I would try to update the blog a little bit everyday, backdating posts to get caught up before things get real busy, e-scrapblooking what's been going on this past month.

Wish you were here. With love, Adrienne