Paddle to the sea

Sleeping Soldiers - Korengal Valley, Afghanistan.

Sleeping Soldiers_single screen (2009) from Tim Hetherington on Vimeo.

I've been reading 'War' by Sebastian Junger. It's a heck of a good read. Gritty. I'm trying to understand more of what causes people to put themselves into such situations. How they cope with stress, deal with PSTD and generally manage to function. It's fascinating and I can't help but be mesmerized by their intestinal fortitude. Inspires me to be stronger.

Sebastian Junger worked with Tim Hetherington. They made a documentary film, Restrepo together. The name, Tim Hetherington rang a bell when I read it, but I couldn't place where. I'm sad to say now I know. The man was killed during the fighting in Libya. April 20 2011, in Misrata, Libya. He was 40 years old.

The video, Sleeping Soldiers, was filmed in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan. It's unsettling but somehow beautiful.

I don't really know how I feel about all the things that are coming together with this particular exploration. It's easy to get caught up in the propaganda of either side. But the human part is the most poignant. Someday I'll manage to put what I'm feeling into words. It's just not ready yet.

Lowest of the Low perform So Long Bernie at ExploreMusic

Lowest of The Low has been the CD in the car for a few drives now. It just plays and plays. I don't seem to get bored of it. They have such a rich sound. The lyrics. My god, are they good. And it's not like you're going to be gonna hear these guys on Top 40 radio any time soon, now is it?

Such talent.

STEEP trailer

Last night we watched this. It was beautiful exploration of risk and reward in the mountains. Awfully 'Americentric' but past that is was good. The chromatography was stunning. Not that I have any urge to go up that high into big mountains anymore. I tried that and realized that I do not live exposure at all. Nope.

Part of my reason for bringing this disk home from the library was to examine the concept of risk and reward in the alpine. The spousal unit like his risks big. I could care less in many ways because I'm ok with him doing his thing. Hell, if that is what makes you happy, who the heck am I to say you neigh? But don't ever think about 'dragging' me along ever again. Been there, not going back. I'm done.

The other past is the general examination of risk in the workplace. The seemingly perpetual examination of safety in action that one experiences while being occupied in H&S. It permeates life.

One interview with the now deceased Doug Coombs brought forth a little gem of a phrase. "Creative Rationalization". That is always the root cause. As humans we can rationalize pretty much anything. The creative mind finds a route around the problem. In our enthusiasm to meet the objective, whether that is 'bagging the peak' or 'getting the job done' we rationalize the risk. We have already our minds on the rewards. So we have to do it. Failure? What? Not make the peak or piss the boss off? Naw man, we can't do that. We've already bragged about our success or perhaps they paycheque is already spent.

All in all, it was a worthwhile film to watch. Something unsettling about watching interviews with people who die doing what they love. Their ideas of risk and reward are not shared by me. But I suppose that is OK. Kinda must suck to be the one left behind to clean up the mess.

Death is nothing to us,
since when we are,
death has not come,
and when death has come,
we are not.

Epicurus

this car too high

this car too high, originally uploaded by water-fall.

A few weeks ago we were lost. Driving around in Calgary. Took a wrong turn and were driving on some barely recognizable streets. It happens frequently. Someday I will know this city. Some day.

They we saw it. A big orange beast of a railroad snowplow. Some how like the bow of an oceangoing freighter. Or a massive pier of a tide swept bridge. Riveted. Graceful. Somehow elegant in the efficiency of its function.

We paused for a few minutes and I snapped a few photos. And then went off on our merry way. Finally we stumbled across a recognizable road and reached our original destination.

I wonder how they found out the plow was too high to pass though the Winnipeg train shed? Was it by accident? Did some clever person realize it was too high before proceeding? Kinds makes you think. Humm.

Safety. It comes third. Oh yeah, we say it's first. But reality hits us on the head and calls bullshit. Wonder how the snowplow vs train shed battle played out? I'll put my money on the plow.

Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman

This is a sad tale, but beautifully written. The world lost a handsome and intelligent man that day, all for naught. The Pat Tillman story is compelling. How did this man come to that place and to his death? Jon Krakauer again has written a spellbinding tale. From the complexity of the soul to the bureaucratic bungling of the industrial military complex.



It so strange to think of the politics behind war. We are so easily lead astray. Blinded and baffled. Bewildered and bullshitted. Just like that conversation I overheard between former commandos. The older telling the younger, 'You didn't kill anyone, the politicians did.'

Canadian, Please

So cute and catchy.

how long have I wanted you

how long have I wanted you, originally uploaded by water-fall.

I have you now

perfect slippers

made of Moroccan Leather

tools for the carpet hunt

tools for the carpet hunt, originally uploaded by water-fall.

a little movement of objects and a change of colour - the aquarium is now in the corner and the teak chest of drawers has been moved.

This feels roomier some how. Not sure why.

Playing around with the living room

Playing around with the living room, originally uploaded by water-fall.

trying to reconfigure the living room - we don't seem to use the couch much. And it's such a nice comfy couch too.

Currently there is no rug/carpet. Just the very nice hardwood floors. I'm experimenting with different colours to see how that will change the feel/flow of the room.