Cartoon courtesy of the Vancouver SunMeteor Showers over the islands
On the night of August 11-12, the Perseids Metor Showers are expected to be visible once again across BC. Meteor showers are associated with the left over debris from comets as they orbit the sun. This shower is associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle, discovered in July of 1862 by two independent astronomers, Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle. Since this comet’s orbital path crossed our earth’s orbital path, we travel right through any and all debris that this comet leaves behind. Most of this consists of tiny dust and ice flakes which have fallen off the comet. When these little specks hit the earth’s atmosphere, they burn up leaving a very bright ionization trail for all to see.
Stargazers will be out in force to watch the annual Perseids meteor shower from Monday to Thursday. This year promises to be one of the best years yet with experts expecting more fireballs than usual. The best night of the week to pull up a chair to see the most frequent shooting stars is Tuesday.
This event happens as the Earth moves through the same debris field leftover by the same comet every year. The difference this year that has stargazers excited is that the debris field is thicker than usual, meaning there should be a good light show. The best time to see the most shooting stars will be just after the sun goes down until midnight. When the moon gets too high in the sky it will start to wash everything out.
The best place to get a great view will be anywhere facing northeast and away from ambient light. My front garden, in fact! If only I were there!!!
Mathematics anyone?
I am terrible at math. Terrible. Clearly. The Engineer just pointed out my mistake in the previous entry. If my math is correct, Canada is home to 36 wonderful citizens. Whooops. Okay fine, we each get a million to spend? Half a billion?
I still don't know.
The other day I was calculating gas mileage to figure out how much I would spend on gas depending on what car I rented while tooting around Europe. And by 'tooting' I do mean driving. This is a pretty complex problem if you ask me. Somewhere in the depths of Grade 11 math and Grade 6 problem solving, I managed to figure out that if I rented a diesel Golf and drove from France to Slovakia and everywhere in between I would need about $800.
I was unsure. This number seemed low. I was practically kicked out of Grade 12 - oh, I'm so bad I forget what that math is called - geometry? No. That really hard one. Anyways, I wasn't allowed to take it even though I was a straight 'A' student. Also, high school math is a really really really long time ago.
So I called the dad. I talked him through the problem slowly (he's getting old and apparently I talk fast). I walked him through how I solved the problem (I even converted the math into miles and gallons!) and then he said it: yeah, that's right.
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?
I was RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT?
You can't imagine my glee. I mean pure glee. It was like that time in Grade 11 when Mr. Kingerski handed back our first algebra test in groups of percentages, as in he would say '60's' and proceed to hand out the tests telling the class our marks. Mean, I know. But effective? Yes. He passed out the 60's, I started to sweat, then the 70's, my heart was palpitating, and then went into the 80's. I hadn't got my test back yet. I had either failed or gotten an 'A'. I never got an 'A' in math before. It was 84%. I practically fainted.
I felt the same way. I solved a math problem. ALL BY MYSELF. I mean, sure I did end up rounding that number up to make up for city driving etc, but here I am, almost thirty and capable of doing math!
Go Manitoba school system!
Then I went and screwed up $75 billion by trying to divide it between Canadians. I'll let you figure that out. If you have 30 million people and $75 Billion, how much does each Canadian get to spend on their wedding?
Oh No They Didn't
Did you know that the US wedding industry is a 72 BILLION dollar industry?!
SEVENTY TWO BILLION!? Do you know how much money that is? That's like each Canadian getting $2 billion to spend on something. Like a wedding.
The average wedding cost is $22 000 but the average annual income of a couple is $62 000. Ummmmm. I don't even know what to say about that.
I have some friends who were wonderfully frugal and don't regret a dime spent on their wedding. I have others who look back and think they overspent and could have done things differently.
The word 'wedding' seems to give permission for businesses to charge you/rape you in the butt. Example? A purple bridesmaid dress costs $300 at one retailer. If you want it in white, the EXACT same dress, will cost you $980! That's $680 more! You could buy two more dresses for that!
What is my point? The point is: that this is acceptable in our society. And why? WHY?
Because they start on us when we are barely old enough to read. That's right. Those marketing assholes get to us before we can even say, 'I don't believe in marriage, it's sexist'. There is a game on sale right now for girls between the ages of 5 and 20 (ummm, oddly wide range) called 'Brighter Minds Wedding Dash'.
That's right, there is a video game out there designed for girls to play 'wedding planner' before they can write their own name.
Is this a problem? Is it? Have weddings become more about the dollar than about the love? Are we teaching girls at a young age that they should have all their dreams come true AND cocktail weenies served on wedding dress toothpicks too?
GAH!
The Married Club
It all started a few years back when one girlfriend congratulated another girlfriend on her upcoming nuptials by saying 'I'm glad to have another member in the married club'.
I am sure she didn't mean it to sound quite so, well, sorority girl meets bridezilla. In fact I know she didn't. But it definitely got me to thinking about the fact that there is a 'married club'.
My friends all now read this blog so of course I have to be careful - and most of them are members of the 'oh so elite' married club. But just know that I love you all and that you make me feel like a true honorary member. By making me be a bridesmaid. HA!
Anyways, there is a club. There is no matching t-shirt with cool slogan (I was in a sorority and we did have those) or pendant. But there is a ring (everyone's is unique of course), there is a signing initiation (the registry and the ceremony), and there is this definite sense that members of the club are privy to something the rest of us un-smug-marrieds are not.
It's weird and it always surprises me. Girls that I least expected to be true active members of the 'club' do in fact shift to the side of slightly 'better than thou' status. The thing is, I don't think they do it on purpose.
I am sure it is that euphoria of the newly wededdness that makes them appear as if the answer to world peace is to simply have a wedding. Middle East? War in Iraq? You would all be sooooo much better off if you just wore some ivory and did a chicken dance.
I definitely don't want this particular entry to seem bitchy/catty/jealous/bitter. I'm just pointing out the fact that my most well-intended brides do cross that invisible barrier between the married woman and the eternal fear of being a spinster. It's like those girls who know they can eat cheesecake for breakfast everyday and not gain an ounce. Something about their inner-confidence regarding (a) being single or (b) cellulite - they know they don't ever have to deal with those issues EVER AGAIN.
I am fairly certain that I act like I am in the 'sucks to be single' club. The one that listens as my single friends lament the lack of available bachelors while I sit knowing I have a loyal man waiting for me at home (or Brooklyn). The 'I totally empathize but thank goodness I got myself a man' club.
It's just interesting as we climb the ladder of life and move from one rung to another we watch those ahead and behind us with the musings of 'thank heavens I am not there' or 'I wish I was on that rung' each thinking we are better off where we are.
But I swear, if I hear the 'you're next' or 'do you think he'll propose soon' one more time, I might smack someone. I haven't been invited to join your club yet, so shut it.
Meh, I have the 'I am in a major motion picture starring some of Hollywood's hottest men' club membership. I think that buys me some time . . .
The Naked Truth
I am not a naked person.
I do not come from a naked family.
It isn't that I am ashamed of my body or feel the human body is disgusting. I just feel that being naked in public is weird and uncomfortable.
I've tried the nude/topless thing. Once in Portugal when I was 19. My girlfriends and I were frolicking in the sea when we decided to do as the locals. We whipped off our bikini tops and one of us carried them back to our towels on the beach. It felt nice. But then it was time to get out of the water. I waited in that sea holding my bare breasts until my friend went and got my bikini top for me.
I feel my nudity and bare nipples are for me alone.
I do like to skinny dip. So long as it is super dark and you cover your bits with your hands. In Cuba, all my friends skinny dipped each night. Including the Engineer. I walked into that ocean fully dressed and told everyone to cover up.
Tonight was a random affair. It started with me watching reruns of the Golden Girls and ended with me saying, "This would be an enchanting experience if not for the disgusting water and smell of garbage".
So much happened from those two things: going over to Little K's for a dip in her pool, walking to the beach to watch the sunset, convincing three random guys to play Frisbee with us, playing Frisbee, swimming (clothed), eating gelato, dancing at Aub's, back to beach, skinny dipping . . .
Needless to say, my friends and our three random guys who are in town for a physics conference (clearly they must be nice if they are Harvard PhD candidates) had a bit to drink to think skinny dipping at 4:30 in the Pacific was a good idea. I did not want to miss out. I also did not want to take my clothes off.
As they frolicked, Miss Prude (Miss Sober Prude) took off her dress and pranced into the ocean in her bikini. But seriously, it was disgusting. The ocean in Rainy City is never particularly lovely. It certainly isn't after a night of fireworks in which 100 000 people attend and then a day of Pride parade and festivities. The idea that I was swimming in garbage with mysterious floaties around my ankles grossed me out. How my friends were naked is beyond me. After all, floaty bits could go into open body bits. Ick.
I got out.
I was the only dressed person on the beach. Apparently my friends inspired those around us and suddenly this nice English Bay beach turned into a nude frenzy. To add insult to too many naked bodies, the horrid smell of garbage lingered in the air from the crazy weekend tinged with heat wave.
I immediately went home, showered, SCRUBBED and can still sort of smell rotting banana peels in my hair.
I just have to face facts. When my friends think going for a middle-of-the-night swim in their birthday suits to the local beach is a good idea, me going home to a soft and warm bed is definitely not missing out on any fun.
Clothed or unclothed.
BC Ferries ousts Trans Fats
BC Ferries is set to be one of the first to adopt the new provincial Public Health Act regulations which restrict trans fat in all food service establishments. The company claims that it now complies with the new regulation that all soft, spreadable margarines and oils meet the restriction of two per cent or less industrially-produced trans fat.
“We are very proud to lead the way as one of the first food service operators in the province to comply with the new regulation which will help our customers make healthier choices,” said Geoff Dickson, BC Ferries’ Vice President of Food and Retail. “In addition to being one of the largest ferry operators in the world, BC Ferries is also one of the largest restaurant operators in B.C.”
BC Ferries generated $57.4 million in food and on-board revenue last year. On average,the company sells over 200,000 salads, 1.5 million cups of organic coffee and 180,000 pieces of fresh fruit each year.
Not to mention all those big breakfasts, burgers, pizzas and deep fried potato chips.
Oh, that's right. They didn't mention them!
“We are very proud to lead the way as one of the first food service operators in the province to comply with the new regulation which will help our customers make healthier choices,” said Geoff Dickson, BC Ferries’ Vice President of Food and Retail. “In addition to being one of the largest ferry operators in the world, BC Ferries is also one of the largest restaurant operators in B.C.”
BC Ferries generated $57.4 million in food and on-board revenue last year. On average,the company sells over 200,000 salads, 1.5 million cups of organic coffee and 180,000 pieces of fresh fruit each year.
Not to mention all those big breakfasts, burgers, pizzas and deep fried potato chips.
Oh, that's right. They didn't mention them!
It's a Canadian Summer
Canadians love talking about weather. We talk about it all year long. We love to call our friends in foreign countries to regale them with tales of 40 below winters and snow as high as a third grader. We complain when it's cold, when it's hot, when it's wet - we are never happy with our weather but we sure are proud of it.
Currently, the Pacific North West is going through a heat wave, of tropical standards. It's melting our rain boots and umbrellas. I have to keep dunking the boys into a bath of cold water because my air conditioning decided to break down at a choice time.
It was so freaking hot last weekend that I took off again for the Caribou region to sit in Green Lake. It was amazing there - we just kept jumping in the lake again and again - which made me think of the summer things special to Canadians. So lucky readers, you get another list:
1. That 'summer' smell only available to us Canucks (and possibly some Americans) - the one that only happens in the dead of summer. It's the smell of heat, pine, and soil that sits in the still air and you can usually only smell it when lounging in a lake (or perhaps walking through a forest). I made everyone stop at one point and 'smell summer'. Luckily I have indulgent friends who obliged me and took a whiff.
2. Lake swimming. I have made it abundantly clear that I love to swim in lakes. Oceans are okay, pools are refreshing, but nothing beats a lake warmed by the summer sun and jumping in repeatedly from the dock (by the way - another favorite thing is the feel of the warm wood under my feet).
3. Roadtrips. I love summer drives. The Sea to Sky Highway is up there, as is the stretch from the valley past Hope, the Rockies around Revelstoke and Golden. It could go on and on. It's driving in a car listening to country music turned up, the sun beating down, and the fact your surroundings are lush and green. It's also stopping off at Tim's for double doubles or iced lattes, munching on ketchup chips, and letting that Canadian road wind ahead with the feeling of summer lasting forever. Fruit stands, families in RV's, and roadside stops to the 'Enchanted Forest'.
4. Fruit stands. Buying bags of peaches and nectarines that are so ripe the juices run down your arms (so you have to jump in the lake), cherries that are so fresh they are black, and popping blackberries, raspberries and gooseberries.
5. Lying back with friends and watching for shooting stars. Age hasn't taken away my sense of wonder. I still make wishes on shooting stars - and I don't want to be told they are satellites.
6. Hunting for wild strawberries on the side of the road
7. Sipping beer (this summer is bud light lime)/coffee with baileys/hot chocolate and roasting marshmallows around the fire. I like it best when the boys talk about conspiracy theories and aliens because I get that scared feeling I used to get watching ET.
8. Sunsets. Preferably over a body of water. The best? At Long Beach, BC where I am once again reminded that I live in the most beautiful country in the world.
9. Skinny dipping in a lake (Okanagan Lake is on my mind) under a full moon with a few best friends and then spending the rest of the night sipping wine overlooking the orchards and vineyards of that lovely region.
10. Having amazing friends to share all these things with. Oh, and they may laugh at my cheesy reflections but deep down they love Canadian summers as much as I do
We're a nation that's in the deep freeze for most of the year - we gotta enjoy this season while we can . . .
Province to review BC Ferries
Vancouver Sun reports...
The province is launching a review of TransLink and BC Ferries, Finance Minister Colin Hansen and Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Shirley Bond announced today.
The review of the publicly funded and independently regulated transportation authorities, requested by Bond, is aimed at ensuring customers and ratepayers are receiving maximum value for services, a provincial government statement said.
"During these challenging economic times, we must ensure that services provided to ratepayers are done so in a way that is financially sustainable and provides maximum value for all British Columbians," Hansen said in a statement. "Both BC Ferries and TransLink have been mandated to provide vital transportation services for millions of people, and we must ensure the governance arrangements are operating as efficiently as possible and the authorities are meeting their service objectives."
The reviews, to be completed by Sept. 30, will look at all aspects of the operations, from regulatory environment to corporate structure to financial performance. A final report containing recommendations will then be made public.
Bond noted it's been six years since BC Ferries became a private operation, and two years since TransLink's governance model was revised. "It is important we ensure both organizations are meeting their financial and service expectations that came about with the new models," she said.
The review will specifically look at the division of responsibility between the province and the respective entities; the size, composition, appointment process and compensation for the board of directors and the regulatory environment, including responsibilities, authorities and powers of the Ferry Commission as well as the regional transportation commissioner and Mayors' Council on Regional Transportation; and operating costs and service delivery models.
The province is launching a review of TransLink and BC Ferries, Finance Minister Colin Hansen and Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Shirley Bond announced today.
The review of the publicly funded and independently regulated transportation authorities, requested by Bond, is aimed at ensuring customers and ratepayers are receiving maximum value for services, a provincial government statement said.
"During these challenging economic times, we must ensure that services provided to ratepayers are done so in a way that is financially sustainable and provides maximum value for all British Columbians," Hansen said in a statement. "Both BC Ferries and TransLink have been mandated to provide vital transportation services for millions of people, and we must ensure the governance arrangements are operating as efficiently as possible and the authorities are meeting their service objectives."
The reviews, to be completed by Sept. 30, will look at all aspects of the operations, from regulatory environment to corporate structure to financial performance. A final report containing recommendations will then be made public.
Bond noted it's been six years since BC Ferries became a private operation, and two years since TransLink's governance model was revised. "It is important we ensure both organizations are meeting their financial and service expectations that came about with the new models," she said.
The review will specifically look at the division of responsibility between the province and the respective entities; the size, composition, appointment process and compensation for the board of directors and the regulatory environment, including responsibilities, authorities and powers of the Ferry Commission as well as the regional transportation commissioner and Mayors' Council on Regional Transportation; and operating costs and service delivery models.
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