Oh Canada

The days have moved quickly since Bruce left.  It's been a little lonely too. I really enjoyed his company.  I popped by to say hello to Ollie every day but each time, he was elsewhere.  If it weren't for the picture of him holding one of his grandbabies on the cash register, I'd think what he told me was all a sham.  I have a feeling I could find him around 4:30 if I really wanted to.

I don't do a good job relaxing so I ended up spending a fair amount of time in the library applying for winter jobs.  I want to have some source of income on the horizon, so getting started now I figured a good idea.  As for jobs here, the sign at the Cafe down the road keeps taunting me. Ollie's words of heeding are in the back of my mind. He says I'd have to go to work at 3:30am if I work in the kitchen and 6:30 if I work out front.  Both times kinda make me eek, but something keeps drawing me to that place.  I think maybe tomorrow I'll inquire.  I wish I was equally as confident about booking gigs as I am walking into that kind of place and picking up a job. Part of me thinks it's now or never and I shouldn't allow myself to fall back on what's easy.  Yesterday, it was really getting to me, so I talked to my dad about it and he said, "why not do both?"  He's right.  I'll procrastinate on booking gigs until I leave and by then, I'll be flat broke and just plain mad at myself.  This trip is all about stepping out there, taking chances and making opportunity yet I think my fear of performing is the most difficult obstacle to overcome.  I got used to performing with Chet...he was there to pick up the slack when I lost a line or a chord, not to mention round out the sound that now feels empty.  Performing by yourself is completely different.  All your mistakes are out there for the audience to judge with no buffers.  My sound system isn't so great, and my guitar sounds tinny.  Those things coupled with low performing self-esteem does a good performance not make.  Maybe if I got better equipment, I'd feel better.  Then again, that costs money, something I am desperately lacking.  Another obstacle with booking gigs is the fact that I have nothing recorded to hand a potential booking agent.  That was one of those things I should have done before I left, but I was in such a rush to leave it all behind.  Note to self: don't hurry when you're not in a real rush.

So if i get that job at the cafe, I'll have to figure out where I'm going to camp when this campground closes.  I'm hoping I can stay at the one up the road owned by Kevin, one of Ollie's biker buddies who stopped at at the bar  last week for a beer.  His place has hot showers but it costs more money.  That will be a real perk once it starts cooling down.  This camping business isn't as cheap as I'd like it to be.  I'm thinking I might look into effencies or rooms to rent.  If only I had an RV or an Airstream...I dream about Airstreams.

Even though it was tempting to take the campsite next to the young couple up the road, I decide to stay.  It's exhausting moving all the time.  I did befriend them.  Mark and Suzanna are their names and they are newlyweds from Canada.  They just moved from Vancouver to Ontario for Mark's residency.  He's going to be a family doctor.

The night after Bruce left, Mark and Suzanna invited me out for dinner.  Even though it was outside of my peanut butter and jelly budget, I was thankful for their offer and took them up on it.  After having company, eating alone was kind of lonely.

Since neither of us had enough room in our cars for all, we decided it best to caravan.  I followed them up the road to the bakery up the way.  They sell donuts, brownies, gingerbread men, and also pizza.  After working at Lolas, I always love trying new pizza shops, but in the back of my mind I know that none will compare.  They did have whole wheat crust, however; something I wish Lolas would consider.

Over dinner, we introduced ourselves...where are you from, what do you do, etc.  That's when I found out they were newlyweds and had been down here just a few months prior, on their honeymoon, I'm guessing.  I asked Mark about Canada's health care system in comparison to the US.  Isn't it funny how we just assume everyone knows what's going on here?  After I talked comparison, I wanted to shoot my America-centric self.  How annoying.  The way Mark boiled it down, it sounds like all people are treated equal regardless of money.   Imagine that...people who have money don't get treated first because they have more money.  I love it.  He said you may have to wait longer for something like a knee replacement, but he spoke highly of it overall.  Isn't it funny how in America equality is seen as this crazy commie notion that should make you run for the hills?  I want to move to Canada.

Suzanna has a degree in outdoor recreation an is working at an outdoor store.  It seems to work for them right now but I get the impression they will be happy to move back to Vancouver once Mark's residency is over.   If I get this job in Washington, there's a possibility that I'll be spending time in Vancouver.  I'm extremely excited about that.  I hear the music scene is killer.