VNO-NCW Conference,

Today I stood up in front of about 800 people at the VNO-NCW West Business Conference in Holland and told a bunch of big wigs how flawed their immigration system is. To add some context, I was added as a guest speaker along with two other students to this business conference, which is essentially aimed at making Amsterdam more internationally friendly for corporations. The VNO-NCW is the chamber of commerce, and this was their big gala ceremony. The CEO of Siemens, a great guy mind you, asked me a bunch of questions, and we decided it would be best to lambaste the IND (immigration and naturalisation dept) for treating me like a criminal. The Dutch immigration system, like most European countries, is fundamentally flawed, which has caused a whole mess of issues, including me going through hell for a residence permit.

Plus, a lot of student friends who graduate with a 1 year MA from UvA leave and go home. Why the hell would the Dutch want that? Wouldn't the business want to keep the knowledge here, where it was fostered? Wouldn't it be good for the country to employ smart, tax paying expats who excel in specialized positions? I think so, and therefore decided to make my voice heard in front of some important people, including the CEO's on ABN AMRO, KPMG Europe, ING and the vice-mayor of Amsterdam.

It's funny. Everyone agreed with me. Thanked me even. Yet, I have no faith the system will change in my lifetime, even though these powerful folks have the means to do so. This is an amazing country, with a troubled integration policy. Canada is the same in many respects.

I also discovered, thanks to my lovely friend Nina, that when you eat asparagus, your urine smells. She pointed it out to me at the best possible time, right in the middle of a delicious Dutch style asparagus gratin with Gouda. At least the dessert was brilliant - aardbei (strawberries) with slagroom (whipped cream) and hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles). Plus an open bar.

A very open bar. sweet.

Work...

I have a shitload of work to do tonite. So much so it is worthy of the description 'shitload.' It's nothing out of the ordinary, but it does seem like there is more tonite. Mayhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif is a busy month for Uni in Holland, and so on and so on and so on.

I lost my baseball game today. We deserved to lose. For those interested parties, visit My Club's Site to learn about us. Most of the info is in Dutch, but you'll get it. Now I'm home telling myself I shouldn't be updating my blog. I should be working.

On a side note, I've been spending a good amount of time this week with my friends Patrick Watson. They are a great band from Montreal, and I've seen them twice in Amsterdam and once in Utrecht this week, with one more show tomorrow when they open for Interpol. They are a brilliant band and brilliant guys, so if you like Coldplay, Jeff Buckley or Devandra Banhart, check out Patrick Watson.

I updated my journalism website as well.. Go read my work HERE.

ta-da.

Quick Story...

I was on the Amsterdam metro yesterday - yes, Amsterdam has a subway - and I was running for a train, which I thought I was going to miss. As I was running, my cell phone leaped out of my pocket, seemingly on its own, and right onto the train tracks. Then the phone rang.

So I stared, contemplating how to get my phone back. I ended up calling over someone working at the Amsterdam metro who called ahead, stopped all the trains and then got a technician to go onto the tracks and get my phone. It was a bit scratched up, I was a bit embarrassed, but a good laugh was had by all, in Dutch and English.

I'm an idiot sometimes.

Please Lord, Not The Bees...

It seems each time I update this, I am in a different country, or on top of a different country. This time I am in Toronto. Been busy with Kae Sun.

Today I came to the conclusion that this world is full of idiots, and there is no hope. I'm not sure if anyone is familiar with the plight of the honeybee, but there are some serious issues right now concerning a massive, unexplained drop in honeybee populations, and there is very little news about it. If we have no honeybees, then nothing, or very little will pollinate the flowers. Then the flowers die. Then we're screwed. This world is really going down the road feeling bad, and we're completely oblivious. One third of the food we eat is dependent on the honeybee population. ONE-THIRD! I'm worried.

To educate:

Great All Around Article.. A Bit Long, but Worth It

Article About Problem

Wikipedia Explanation

Associated Press

A blog entry whilst writing on the airplane…another airplane.

I spent a whole week at home in Amsterdam. It was lovely. The weather was perfect, so perfect we are beginning to wonder if the end of the world is coming and the forces that be are simply placating us with sun before they turn the switch off. I actually sunned, and felt it afterwards. My friend Meghan from Geneva/Canada came to visit for the weekend, staying until today. She was still there when I left this morning. We spent much of the weekend enjoying the gorgeous weather, sitting in the Westerpark, drinking, staging dinner parties and then leftover dinner parties, and catching up.

The reason she came, well other than to see me of course, was for Konningnedag, or in English, Queen’s Day. Queen’s Day is Queen Juliana, grandmother of the current Queen, Beatrix’ birthday. It is a celebration that began after the war and has turned into a country-wide flea market meets all-day and night party, one tough to describe. It was plainly insane. It lacked sense, this party, but it was fun. Super fun. Much of the rest of the post will concern itself with describing my Queens Day, the first ever in the Netherlands and certainly not the last. This was so much fun; just a brilliant, energetic, smiling time. I wish every Monday was like this.

For Konningennach, or Queen’s Night, a friend of mine baseball and others joined us for pre-drinking at my place before setting off into town. We just walked, passing many DJ and drinking tents along the grachts (canals) before settling for a beer in Leidseplein. The canals were packed with people; it was almost impossible to move in certain places, and everyone was dancing, drinking, partying, enjoying each other’s company. This continued until about 5AM, as we kept pounding back the liquids to stay hydrated before stumbling home. I left before Meghan and the guys, and I passed out just before 5. The next morning we awoke at the crack of noon and had lunch, put on our shiniest orange shirts and went into town to enjoy Queen’s Day.

It was gorgeous; sunny, bright, lovely, and there was a shitload of people everywhere. Apparently the population of Amsterdam doubles on Queen’s Day, and it surely was noticeable. We passed by a party in the Jordaan, well, several parties and made it all the way to Rembrandtplein, one of the big squares. There were thousands upon thousands of people dancing to DJs and hip-hip from a big stage in the square, drinking and just going crazy. I couldn’t move. It was insane. After some time there, I walked back home (about 90 minutes of Queen’s Day) and met up with Renee to explore the Jordaan. This is where it got even crazier.

I found a toy sword on the ground, one from the Thundercats cartoon show. I went home and put batteries in it, and it worked. Lit up and made a sound. We grabbed some beers, found a tent playing trance and started dancing with the sword. The sword was quite popular. I made quite a few friends flashing it around. One women even picked up a pair of panties from the ground and use the sword as the base for a slingshot, flinging the panties in the air of the crowd. This proceeded to ignite a gigantic clothing fight in the stage, as jeans, pants, shirts and jackets were flung between hundreds of people like glowsticks, followed by flowers and socks. It was, once again, beyond comprehension. I’m in the middle of a street I bike down everyday, listening to a world-class DJ and dancing with a few thousand drunken Dutch. And everyone is wearing orange. Meghan took pictures.

It didn’t end there. After the clothing fight, an old woman who owned a flat next to the crowd opened up the window and started throwing rolls of toilet paper at everyone. More drinking ensued, and by 5PM, the day became a blur. Yet, as the dancing continued, a man came up to me and claimed I found his sword, bought for his kid, and asked for it back. He made a convincing enough case, and not caring too much, I gave him back the sword and he bought Renee and I a bunch of beers.

I know this doesn’t make much sense; I wish it did, but Queen’s Day doesn’t make a lot of sense. A gigantic flea market; everyone was selling everything, absolutely everything, combined with a city-wide street party. Hundreds of tents sprung across the city with bands, DJs, comedy, beer Olympics. And all this in orange.

I went home for a minute as Renee had a dinner date, and met up with another friend Macauley and Meghan again and had crappy Mexican food in the Leidseplein. Then 11:30PM reared its hungover head and we biked home exhausted, confused, thrilled and smiling.

Now I am sitting in a plane going back to Canada. I ended up sitting next to a woman and a young kid sharing one seat, and this kid was perspicacious, so thankfully I was moved to the back of the plane, next to an elderly couple. I am Toronto for a week; lots to do, some shitty things and some nice things, and lots to think about. Things get tough once I get back to the Netherlands, in many ways. I have a lot to think about, which is good, because if I didn’t, I would be bored.

My 150th Post,

that is a lot. Seriously; think that I have updated this useless piece of interweb 150 times. It makes me gasp, to be honest. Well, I am sitting here at my home in Amsterdam, at 3AM, slightly intoxicated and wondering why I am updating this thing. Today I was biking to a friend's party and there was a couple walking directly in the middle of the bike lane. I rang my bell a few times, and then whilst biking around them, I yelled 'it's a bike lane, idiots' in a sarcastic tone. I didn't realize how much of an asshole I've become at times when riding my bike in Amsterdam, and this experience reminded me of that. Wow, I could have been polite, but no; I was not pragmatic, I did not assume they came from a different culture (like me a while back) and didn't now. I just yelled at them. I'm a dick. I'm guessing my friend Eamon would have done the same when living in Holland, and he is not a dick, so it makes me feel better.

Major changes in my life coming up in the next few weeks. I am torn between accepting something that is right for all the wrong reasons, and figuring how how to make it right despite the reasons. I am also going home on TUES for a week, for the Alli's Journey concert, a big gala in honour of my sister, the light of my life. Furthermore, other things are happening, but they will remain clandestine until I figure them out more. This summmer is looking to be extremely entertaining in some respects, and boring in others. I'm looking to save money, work on my thesis and stay in Amsterdam. sounds like a party.

Queens Day is one MON. If you haven't heard of it, here. It's gonna be a PAR-TAY.

Back in Amsterdam,

I realize that the busier I get, the less time I have to try and update this damn thing. I really hope people read it, because I am putting actual time and effort into updating it; this time especially. It's late, I'm pooped and spent the day on the road as per usual. I found out that there is a bus strike in Eindhoven, and ended up sharing a cab with four quick lovely Dutch people, and one guy who had no idea where he was. He kept asking if we were in Eindhoven.. funny.

The travelling was fairly smooth. Tube to Liverpool St -> train to Stansted -> flight to Eindhoven -> cab to eindhoven centraal -> train to amsterdam centraal -> walk home = six hours. I updated my datebook. fun.

London was, well, London. I spent some time with Jordan and Lisa, ruined a very expensive towel of theirs, felt bad and bought Lisa flowers, went to work a bunch of times which was great, saw some excellent shows including the Camden Crawl with my friend Nate and ate some good Thai and Veitnamese Food. I also spent way, way too much money, as per usual. Yet, I do love London. I'm still torn b/w it and Amsterdam. I like Amsterdam more, but London is where the work is; and the english speaking girls. just kidding.

more later.

What a Day!

It's worth explaining.. well, not in depth, but well enough for everyone to enjoy the foibles I experienced. After having breakfast with Renee, I boarded a train from Amsterdam -> Den Haag. Unfortunately, the switched the track on us last minute, and we had to bolt it (a few people and myself) to catch the train. The day started well. I went to this award ceremony at a museum in Den Haag, as I was to receive an award for getting this scholarship last year. I won't go into details, but for the most part, the ceremony was a formality. I got out of Den Haag Centraal and boarded the wrong tram, going 7 stops out of my way before realizing I was an idiot. I got out - in a nice area mind you - crossed the street and got on the right tram, and 18 stops later and 30 minutes late I was at the ceremony. I stayed for an hour or so, because I had to leave the catch the train to Eindhoven for my flight to London. I wish I could have stayed. Lots of really smart people and a great networking opportunity. Ah well.

So I took a packed train to Utrecht - sitting on the floor - to transfer to Eindhoven. That's where the real fun began. The train I was scheduled to take never showed up, the next one stopped at the station and never started again, and forty-five minutes later I was on another packed train, this time standing in the middle of the carriage, praying that I wouldn't miss my flight. Thankfully I met a really nice Dutch guy from Den Bosch who calmed me down, and fifty minutes later, I was in Eindhoven, pissed off, tired and hungry.

I ran from the train, down the stairs and out to the exit and hailed a cab. I begged him to take me for €20 to the airport, which he did, and he high-tailed it, even parking on the sidewalk at the airport to give me a better chance to make the check-in. As I was running to the check-in, the sign switched from 'open' to 'closed.' I ran up, threw my bag down and begged, again, for them to let me on, and they did. I sat through security, was the last person on the packed Ryanair flight and passed out, awakening forty minutes in London.

After a forty-six minute train ride from Stansted and another thirty on the tube, I made it back to my brother's, and I'm here now writing this, pooped while my friends are partying at the Camden Crawl, a big music festival down the road. I'm going tomorrow.

A While,

It has been a while since I updated, and to be honest, I do not have much to report. I'm swamped in work, back in Amsterdam now but off to Den Haag, Eindhoven and finally London tomorrow. back Tuesday for more work and then Queens Day celebrations. Hope everyone is well. More updates soon.

In Canada.

I am back in Canada for a few days. I'm learning that when one moves away permanently, they usually only find time to come home in tragic circumstances, which heighten the emotional tone of the whole visit. Plus the weather sucks.

I often wonder if there is a human being out there that is truly organized. In every way. I am reasonably organized, but no where near to the point I wish I was. I rarely (almost never) miss a deadline, but I know I could make much better use of my time. I use my time poorly, especially when I am super busy. Maybe it's just a rough day. I'll chalk it up to that today, as I've been up for 4 hours and done nothing and it's 9:35AM. I had aspirations to be somewhat productive. Ah well.

At least I'm still in good health. That's all that's important anyways.

RIP Kurt and Ruth

Been a While..


I am sorry that I haven't updated in a while, if anyone even reads these useless ramblings in the first place. I had an eventful weekend in Amsterdam, both in the positive and negative sense. My family came for a visit, which is beyond rare, and we had a lovely time traversing Amsterdam and parts of the Netherlands, as one day we rented a car and went to the sea, Delft, Marken, and other tourist hotspots. Even made it to Keukenhof, which is a massive flower garden in Lisse, Holland. It wasn't cheap, but it is a must for anyone who likes flowers and tourists.

On a sad note, my grandmother, an amazing woman of ninety years, is currently on life support and not looking positive. She has led a storied life and has fought back from death a few times, but this time does not look positive. She is my last living grandparent, and I will be going home for the funeral, if one occurs shortly. Yet, I have to be back in Holland by the weekend, so if she loses the battle, I'll be flying 8 hours each way for a 48 hours visit. Life sucks sometimes, as my brother wrote on his blog.

Saying that, all is as good as it can be. My mom is on a flight home to Canada after loving Amsterdam, and I am catching up on a ton of work. Kae Sun is going back on the road shortly, and we're slowly preparing for that. I can't wait to see K, Steve, Mike, Paul and Fraser again.. oh, and Kojo of course. Love Kojo.

be happy.

Shain

Fuck Tagged,

No one sign up to tagged.com. I got an invite from my friend Gail, pressed OK and suddenly it sent out an email to all 2600 contacts in my gmail system, asking them to join. Now I'm being swamped in emails from important people asking me what the hell this is. God, what a major annoyance; just what I needed. Ah well. Could be worse.

April,

Another gorgeous day. I'm beginning to expect them. I'm an idiot. Just a series of anomalies. It's also my father's birthday today, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! Nothing much to report. My week off is over, which culminated in my baseball team thoroughly thumping a rival 21 - 1 yesterday (I went 3 for 4 with a run) and us gettig stuck on the canal in a friend's boat whose motor went the way of old yeller. It was flooded, so eventually it started and got us to a dock where we hopped out.

April should be good. My family is coming on Thursday. Easter. Oh, Happy Passover to all the Jews.

Not as nice weather wise,

Can't have them all. I was sitting in Vondelpark yesterday realizing how lucky I am to be living the life I'm living. All things considered of course. It was sunny, gorgeous even, there were lovely looking people everywhere, I could smell a BBQ in the distance and I had a pint in my hand, chatting with one of my closest friends. Alli is doing her job.

Moving...


I wish I could explain how we moved two couches through our second story window last night. I took some pictures before we did what we did; but when we were actually doing it, I was busy trying not to have a couch fall on my head that was suspending two stories off the ground on a rope.

So here is how we did it. We strung a pully from a hook that sits on the top of our building's facade, essentially. Yet, we realized that when the facade was renovated (it is a 300 year old building), the window in the facade was not big enough and our couch wont fit. So, what we did was walk the couch up one flight of stairs to our neighbours living room. We strung it out on their balcony and then pullied up the couch, literally, up to our flat one story from their balcony. We tied a net under the couch to harness it and suspended it 15 feet in the air with two ropes, while we used our muster to pull it up. I was guiding the couch so it wouldn't break a window. It was something else. We have a nice couch set now and I feel like A REAL AMSTERDAMMER.

So I'm moved in now. Still boxes awash our living room, but we've made a stark improvement since last week, and it is really looking like home. This weekend was LONG. On Saturday we went to my flatmate's storage locker late at 9:30 realizing the the compound closes and locks us in while calling the cops to arrest us at 11. We made a mad dash for his stuff and got out at 10:58PM. haha. Then we spent 4 grueling hours at IKEA and then another 2 at his locker on Sunday before pullying the couch up. I missed work and baseball, but now I have a flat to call home. I'm super lucky, cause this place is brilliant.

I have baseball tonite. Practice at our home field, which is way in the outskirts of amsterdam. It is about 50 minutes from me by bike, but I'll take the tram. Excited for Brady/Lori this weekend and my family the next weekend. My mom is never gonna make it up my stairs to see the flat though. They are 90 degrees up; you're faced with them when you walk in, eye to eye. I guess I'll need another rope and pully.

140th Post...

Things are slowly picking up, as spring has come... well, everywhere but Amsterdam. We did not have much of a winter though, so I guess we had it coming. But enough weather talk; that's what you talk about when you don't want to reveal anything about yourself.

It's been quite hectic lately, but now is half term at school so I'm catching up on much needed odds and ends. I've had several visitors as of late, bunched around the wonderful Jam in the Dam festival, and with Brady/Lori and my family coming in the next few weeks, getting shit done is paramount.

I wish I had something interesting to tell you. I'm seeing I'm From Barcelona tomorrow, and I have developed a new Saturday ritual; going to Noordermarkt, which is a great open market down the street and buying 3 bunches of Tulips for €5 and stringing them around the house in makeshift pint glass/vases. Makes me feel less like a student.

Much Love.

This Weekend,

This has been one of the best weekends I've had in months. I simply forgot about everything that mattered, just for a few days and celebrated life with some good friends. I'm one lucky duck. Speaking of duck, I roasted one on Friday for an amazing dinner party I threw with my friend Jared. I didn't eat it, of course, but it was a hit; a bitch to carve, but worth it apparently.

The downside is I spent WAY too much money. Ah well, Aldi it is.

I'm old. nuff said.

Older..

I'm getting older tomorrow.. Yup, that ambiguous biological clock that allows people to celebrate your sheer existence for one day a year is approaching. I am 24 tomorrow. I feel I have not accomplished enough for 24, but I'm confident all is improving. 24 will be good, methinks

But on another more interesting note, I went to Ikea on Wednesday. Boy, what fun! Note my sarcasm. Ikea is in the Zuidoost (southeast) of Amsterdam, a place you only go if you absolutely have to. I bought a rug and a duvet and some nice this and thats, making my new home more, well, home. We get a new sofa and a big rug this weekend, and I get a wardrobe, meaning I can stop living out of a bag.

This sunday begins Jam in the Dam, a wonderful music festival that I helped work on in its inception, two years ago. Had a great dinner with the man responsible for it yesterday, and will be living the life for three soaks soaking up the rain with the jamband world elite.. haha. elite.. makes me laugh. Van Morrison is also on Saturday. Fuck ya. what a weekend.. Plus Matt and Rich from the UK are visiting. smiles abound :)

Another Quick Post Before I Go To Bed;

Good Vibes first and foremost for a loved one of mine that is currently sick and in hospital. I hate both the former and the latter, and good vibes are important.. so.. there.

I am settling in quite nicely. The flat is slowly coming together. We gave it a good once over today including scrubbing the floors and windows, and need to get some more furniture and organize accordingly before it is truly home. I got a duvet cover and a rug from Ikea, as well as an iron and a coffee maker, so I'm making headway. It's not cheap, but I think I've spent the brunt of it and it's all downhill from here. I live in the best neighbourhood in Amsterdam. It's fucking brilliant. As hip as the Annex (for the Toronto folks), but also sophisticated and old. A perfect mix of old and new. The only thing is, the stairs coming up to my flat are 90 degrees straight, like a ladder. It's a bit of a pain.

I'll post pictures soon.. once there is something to show.

xx

Home Sweet Fucking Home:

I moved. This is my third place since I moved to Amsterdam, and I have great vibes concerning it. It is much closer to the centre than my other places; well, it actually is in the centre! It is on a fantastic, hip, cooler-than-thou street in the northwest called Haarlemmerstraat (look it up if you want) beside Amsterdam's prettiest canal, Brouwersgracht. The flat is quite modern, cozy and hip. It is built on two stories, with super dangerous stairs connecting them. I also have a rooftop terrace big enough for any BBQ. Plus, the flat is within my price range. Lots to do on the flat though, making it home and all that, so I will post pictures in a week or two when I'm truly settled. I dont have a wardrobe yet, so my shit is still on the floor. I get that on Monday.

good news :)

Quick post...


Looking for a new flat still... May have found something soon.. Will be happy if so happens. But on another note; Do you know what I did today? I went into a coffee shop, Homegrown Fantasy in Amsterdam on Nieuwzijds Voorburgwal and did not do or order any drugs. I just like their coffee... It is possible. I was looked at funny in there, prolly because everyone else was off their rocker...

Things are okay; disorganized from moving..

I have not had time to update my blog in a while, so I am sitting in a train lounge in Berlin, with another ninety minutes to go to catch my train back to Amsterdam, so here I am, unable to steal internet and writing this in Microsoft Word. I will copy and paste this into blogger tonite when I return after my eight-hour journey back.

This has been a whirlwind week. Not a great one, I might add. I am not going to go into detailed specifics, as this is not the avenue to do so, but I know a few concerned people read this, so what the hell. First, I have been away for ten days now, and the feeling of not having a home has intensified. I am plainly tired. Since December 14th, I have been on the road over ¾ of the time. I am not complaining though; just bitching. This was my choice and I have been to some amazing places. Berlin is brilliant, for example. But I am excited to go home.

Yet, I do not have much of a home to go back to. A misunderstanding between my landlord and I have resulted in us parting ways, and I have to find a new home for April 1. Nothing horrible happened, just a difference in opinion concerning a few things. Therefore, I have placed an ad online and will begin searching again.

This happened on Tuesday, when I was in Berlin. An exchange of emails affirming our opinions led to the decision, which is welcome but annoying. Moving is expensive, time consuming and stressful. Plus, I was supposed to go to Dresden today with a friend, but have decided, at a high cost I might add, that my time would be better spent in Amsterdam right now. Saying that, I will be home for six weeks starting tonight, home being Amsterdam, and I will begin physically looking for a flat immediately. I got lucky last time, as this flat has been lovely for the short period I have lived there. I guess I will see Dresden another time. It is not below sea level, so it is probably not going anywhere anytime soon.

Work remains stressful, but such is life. Formulating business plans and work with DiS and LPL is a humdinger, but I am excited for the future. Yet, I am presently consumed with the move, and keeping whatever is it that has become of me to keep going. Hold on for a moment; I do think this post is way too melodramatic. I am fine. Berlin was wonderful, and I had a brilliant night out last night with my friend Elisa and her cousin, who plays drums in a famous German band called Silly. We went to a trendy rock club called the Sage Club and stayed out dancing till 6AM, listening to old-school German hip-hop and speed metal. Having had to get up at 10AM to checkout and now sitting in an uncomfortable lounge may explain my childish verbal aggression right now; coffee just doesn’t do it like it used to.

So there.. I am moving.. Again. But now, I can talk a bit about Berlin. I arrived Tuesday evening and spent much of the time with my friend Elisa walking around. We went to all the haunts; Alexander Platz, Potsdamer Platz, some Holocaust memorials, Reichstag, Brandenburg Tor, and Sony Plaza.. Saw a wicked movie last night as well called “Notes on a Scandal” with Judy Dench. Other than that, it has been fairly relaxing. I was going to see McCoy Tyner, but I forgot to get press passes and it was too expensive. I was supposed to carry on to Dresden with her to see her aunt, but I am way too pre-occupied and decided to buy a ticket back to Amsterdam, forfeiting my ticket on Sunday and costing me some cash. March will a transition month, most definitely.

Love you all.

Quick Update;

all is surprisingly well. Work is leading me slowly towards madness, but its keeping me busy. I'm doing a lot, both school and job stuff. I guess that's me.

Sunday night is a big night. At the SOCIAL in London, my label is being launched, featuring a performance from Prospect Lane, a band we signed from Birmingham, along with The Jubilees and We Make Friends. If you are about, it's at Oxford Circus Tube Stop and starts at 8. a measly 5 quid will get you into the festivities. Come support independent music!!!

love you all... especially the ones dreaming for themselves.

Shain

Self-Serving News:

Well, the website for my brand-new label is up and running; therefore, the label is up and running. It'll be a slow and steady process, but my partner Dominique is amazing so I'm pumped for this. Visit us either HERE or on our Myspace.

In other 'news,' my debut with Spin got published today, a short review of the Brazilian Girls last night. Check that out at this link.

Good news all around :)

Love Ya

Great Article of Climate Change!!

Read This Almanac:

Globe and Mail Climate Change Study

Raining,

It has been raining all day. Just one of those days where it doesn't stop; I biked to school in the rain, but I refuse to bike home in it too, so I'm waiting it out, using the free wifi at school. Anyway...

All is pretty much the same. I'm busy, as per usual, but the same. I found a site online where people post pictures of Cats that look like Hitler, which has been a lovely time waster, in addition to catching up on some writing work. Check out the angry "We Hate Kittlers" section on their site; too funny :) But I digress, because my organization of my life has to be flawless, or I'll never get everything done.

Another funny website I stumbled upon is the sport of Wife Carrying.

Ah the Internet.. so much useful information.

Howdy,

I am in London, even though I do not have enough time to update this, I am. I've been on the road a lot lately, as is my life, and it won't stop. I'm all over Europe in the next month, but delving into specifics is time consuming, so I'll leave it mysterious. I was in Bristol on Wednesday. I drove up to Stone Hendge, which was fucking fantastic. I'm so glad I saw it; as when I lived in the UK, I never made it down. It has also been snowing, and snow seems to shut down the United Kingdom. Trains are late, people are more insane.. all good..

I've been working a ton. Catching up on some Uni reading, working on the band, label, magazines and all that jazz and trying to find some time for a meagre social life. I am excited to go home on Sunday and sleep in my own bed, still coatless, but my own bed. Not that I sleep with a coat on, but the coat thing still perturbs me. I hope the thief is warm and stylish.

Big night on FEBRUARY 25TH. The label I work with, Last Press Label, is being launched in London and a bunch of our bands are playing. It's at the Social in Soho, so if you're in town, please come and support independent music and music management. It should be one heck of a party. Other than that, same shit, different day, different city. My bag smells like Risotto, as a bag of it ripped in transport. It's somewhat soothing.

My comment ratio has shrunk considerably. I haven't gotten one in 2007 yet. Ah well. I guess interest in my blog and therefore my life is waning.. just kidding.

I had my coat stolen on Saturday, or at least that is the conclusion I've come to. I put it somewhere in a club (first mistake: going to a club) and after returning an hour later to the space, it was gone. I looked all over and couldn't find it. I had to bike home in the freezing cold, minus bike lights (in the coat), gloves and scarf and gum. Thankfully nothing of value minus the aforementioned was in the coat, and I bought it for €20 in London anywho. No biggie. The principle bothers me more. I hope to see someone walking down the street in Amsterdam wearing my coat, so I can harangue their unbridled stupidity and lack of humanity. People are messed up sometimes. I'm off to replace what I lost today (bike lights, gloves, scarf, jacket) as well as go to my first class. yee-hoo!

What a lovely day!

It has been sunny and gorgeous all day, which is an anomaly in Amsterdam. The sun comes out sporadically, usually between clouds and only for a few minutes; today it has been glorious. Welcome global warming. As long as Amsterdam doesn't sink, I can get used to this in February. I'm no idiot; I know this is erratic and horrible, but nice weather is nice weather.

I took advantage of the brightening up today. I had to vacate my house between 11AM and 1PM today, as my new landlord has meditation and yoga classes, so I took my Museumcaart (year pass to every museum in Holland) and went to both the Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum. I've never been to the latter, well the part that is open, and both were fantastic. I felt like a tourist.

I then found a quaint cafe for lunch and coffee, and have returned home to work, which so far has been relatively productive. I'm going to the Albert Cuyp Markt with Jared in about 45 minutes as well. It's the largest outdoor market in the Benelux and in this weather, will be fantastic. These are days I know Alli is with me.

My 125th Post...

Back home in Amsterdam, and the entire city has erupted with construction. I don't know if erupted is the right word, but Pierce Brosnan's horrible 'Dante's Peak' is on my mind for some reason, so I shall use it. Anywho, there was a hurricane-like storm here two weeks ago, fucking up the entire city's water system, essentially. That means in addition to building a subway, they are tearing up streets to fix the levees and protect the city from the inevitable. That means both of my major routes to school are cut off completely, and it now takes me much longer because I have to weave through side streets and down back alleys to get into the centre, instead of going straight through a park, because half the park is closed. What a welcoming surprise.

I have a whole whack of work to do. It never stops. At least now I'm home and I don't have to leave my flat all day. Pajama day it is, starting now.

Home...

I missed Amsterdam. I missed its innate clostraphobia, the bevy of grocery options that enable me to avoid any hint of the megastore lifestyle, the sheer insanity and ignorance expelled from every tourist dangling along Dam Square, the hot food in vending machines, the jittery trams, the rain, the canals and the fact that you have to bring your own bags to stores to save money.

I was away for a long time. Six weeks to be exact. I enjoyed my time away, especially with my family and my band, but it is time for home, and home means school. I have a paper exploring the craziness of duty free shops from a discursive analysis point of view due shortly, and throughout I have a shitload of work coming from all angles. Anywho, I'm going to enjoy home while I'm here. I do leave again next week.

x

In the studio,

We have been the studio for eight hours now and miraculously laid down the bare bones for four tracks, which is fantastic. Three of the songs are old and are found on "Soliloquy" but have been completely re-orchestrated and performed while one is brand new, a song called "Shivaree" which actually comes from a play that our friends What The Thunder Said scored. There have been some moments of jubilance, as everything seems to be coming together perfectly. I cannot wait for people to hear the record, and we're in good shape for having it done and ready to roll on May 1st. Right now we're sorting out the nooks and crannies for our single, "Stay Up," which un-mixed and un-mastered sounds fantastic, so I have good vibes on how it'll sound when completed.

In other news, I go home on Saturday. It has been a whirlwind week. I met some amazing people on tour, and got to spend some time with a few which was great, and I hung out with the band and K quite a bit. Things are on the up and up with this... I expect good things.

School begins on Monday, and I have a huge term paper due a week after. Welcome back to real world, Mr. Shapiro. I am excited to see my friends back at home and get to settle into my new place after I quickly moved out before going on tour. We also have a round of shows planned for May, so stay tuned for dates and stuff like that.

I am also working on some interesting articles, so stay tuned.

peace-

nero reunion...

http://www.jambase.com/headsup.asp?storyID=9765

enjoy-


big update coming soon...

New Kae Sun Article...

It's pretty good.

http://www.echoweekly.com/viewstory.php?storyid=6064

It's been a very lazy day, conducive for thinking. I hate those days.

Update...

I have a few minutes and I'm procrastinating as per usual, thereby refuting my New Years Resolution, but ah well. So, whilst procrastinating, I thought I'd update the blog. Let's start with Peterborough.

The show was great. The venue decided to make the show free, which is quite impressive for bands of our stature (Jimmy Swift Band and What The Thunder Said) so the bar was packed to capacity. Also, there was a ton of students, which just added to the party. Kids were dancing during our soundcheck, which was nice. I'm guessing they just need something to do in town, and we were it that night. We had a heck of a time getting there and back, as a misunderstanding between the band made us 2 hours late and a freak rainstorm made driving home tricky, but the response was worth it. We played for about 65 minutes, and I won't tell you the set as we have to play similar-ish sets each night because the collaboration was difficult enough to set up. It sounds fantastic, and it has been a treat playing with WTTS and K. They are all stand-up, professional cats and great guys, and what we are doing is truly unique. Combining hip-hop and progressive rock, with folk, jazz and electro. It's worth seeing.

I went to Ottawa this weekend for nero and to see Zach. Ottawa was the same as it always was, and hanging out with Zach was great. His house is filled with kind folks, and I seem to fit in as everyone is a sarcastic bastard, so we had fun. nero was also great. nero sounded like nero, spirited, loud and danceable, and seeing everyone from my past was great too. It was a big family reunion, more than anything.

Had a big show tomorrow in my hometown. The Toronto show. Shows till Saturday. Love Ya.

Long weekend,

I feel like half of my time in Canada is spent on the highway. The show is Peterborough went extremely well on Thursday. The bar was packed because Peterborough is a town that parties if and when there are things to do, and the band we were playing with, Jimmy Swift Band, are quite well known.

Spent the weekend in Ottawa and saw nero twice as well as Zach and his house. I'll explain more later when I have time, but it was a blast. Back to work :)

Tour...

I haven't been on the road playing music since April, and I am definitely nervous to get back on stage in front of people tonite, as I play with Kae Sun in Peterborough. I am excited too, but nervous as well. The guys I'm playing with, What The Thunder Said and K himself are terrific, so it should one hell of a throwdown...

Otherwise, I have been so busy I can barely think about anything else. It's been work, work and more work the past 10 days, as 2007 has started off busy, but well. Anything to beat 2006. I am looking forward to coming home to Amsterdam and resume some sort of normalcy, but I am on the road so often normalcy is becoming a malleable connotation. I'm in the UK Feb 7-12 and Germany Feb 27 - Mar 2. I'll probably be in Belgium as well in between then, hitting up Antwerp to see a friend.

Also, today I interviewed a living legend, Jimmy Carter from the Blind Boys of Alabama. These guys are the kings of traditional gospel, and it was an honour. I'll have a piece written about them this weekend. See you on tour!

Quiet,

Life is so busy here, but in a different way, that I rarely have time to update this. I am super excited to play these upcoming shows, as the band sounds terrific. I promise all who support us a blisteringly fantastic show. Other than that, home is home and life is well, unentertaining. I hate driving, something being back home has reminded me of, but I have enjoyed seeing many of my friends. Lots to do this week. Up early tomorrow.

2007...

is 4 days old, but it is shaping up to be a doozy. I love the word doozy. This will be another short entry, as I am just on my way out in Toronto to enjoy another unseasonably warm evening in Canada's biggest city. Lots of Kae Sun stuff upcoming, so check www.myspace.com/kaesun to keep up. Love You.

Home,

I am back in Toronto and surrounded by a pile of work.. massive pile. I love life.

2007 here we go. I'm inspired.

Shain

Below is all the writing I did on a week long cruise of the Caribbean. It's probably the most personal I have ever been on this blog. Enjoy the ramblings.

HOME SWEET HOME.

December 22nd, 2006:

On my last blog post, I was recounting my time in Geneva last week, and right now, on December 22nd, 2006, I feel about as distant from the peaks and valleys on Switzerland as I could possibly feel. I know I will not be able to publish this blog entry until December 29th, but I am writing it now, and will continue to write throughout my trip on this cruise, so I will try and outline everything by date to make sure whomever (if anyone) reads this, they will be on track. So, here goes…

Cruises are interesting western inventions. First and foremost, they are largess to the utmost extent, so much so that it becomes sickening and somewhat distressing after a while. I have been viscerally and liberally pumped up with so much food, I feel dizzy. The boat is rocking, however, so some sort of seasickness may also factor into to that description.

Anywho, my trip here was hell. I flew from Amsterdam to Chicago, and then transferred there amidst a maelstrom of security to catch a connecting flight to Toronto. Six hours later, I was on a packed, early morning flight to Ft. Lauderdale (next to two crying babies as well) and then after an hour drive to Florida City, FL, I was sitting in a Comfort Inn, wondering how to hook their wireless internet. After careful deliberation, I figured you could not connect to their wireless, because they only had the service available for Ethernet ports. Way to be in 2003 Comfort Inn. How comforting. I am not complaining by any means about my global sojourn, as I even sat next to three Chippendale Dancers on my transatlantic flight, but it was tiring, and I was irritable. After Sushi back in Toronto, I was ready for bed… Lucky for me, some Risotto exploded in my bag so upon opening it, I was greeted with myriad grains of rice to clean up all over my transitory setting. How fun.

Now onto the cruise. After some beaurocratic difficulties – as it turns out I was never scheduled to be on the trip, somehow replaced by my father’s wife – we sorted out the paperwork problems and boarded the boat. Since then, I have been walking around, exploring the munificent surroundings and the food and drink that go along with it. For the most part, this cruise seems to be made up of affluent Jewish families and retirees. It seems like everyone is either a teenager or a pensioner. The boat is pure opulence. There are several restaurants and bars, a gym, basketball court, spa, putting green, five pools and hot tubs, shops, jeweler, hair salon and nightclub, among other ‘amenities.’ It is a hyperspace, a simulacrum of real life, a third space, plainly fucked up in my opinion. In some ways, the sheer largess nature of the cruise bother me, as I am not used to this type of crazed consumption, so in some ways my conscience is having difficulties adapting to these surroundings. On the other hand, I am as lucky as a Mormon at a chastity belt warehouse to be here (horrible pun, I know.). Yet, something is troubling. Maybe it has nothing to do with the cruise at all. I am trying, honestly trying to enjoy this, every moment, but I cannot lie to myself about these troubling metaphors that seem to be overriding my enjoyment. Maybe I am theorizing about this too much, or maybe I am just too cynical a bastard to enjoy this type of holiday. I need some time to stew, ponder, live, breathe and sweat out this cruise. It is called the Coral Princess, and often coral requires more than a simple glance before its inherent beauty unfurls. Regardless, I will keep updating this throughout the trip, and maybe I can grow to make sense out of this experience, and why a floating town with no poor people is such an enchanting holiday experience for so many people. Now, however, I am going to search for a supposed wifi connection that I have been tipped off to, and with a scotch by my side, hopefully publish this entry and do some more work whilst I am at it. Merry Christmas.

December 23rd, 2006 – Day Two

I have not had dinner yet. There was this max exodus to the dining room around 6PM, making a reservation impossible. Therefore, I have postponed my luxurious dining excursion for a few hours so I could come and update this. Two days in, and I am still extraordinarily troubled by the metaphors and themes embedded in this cruising experience. Last night I decided to venture towards the hot tub at 1AM for a soak, lucky me, and upon arrival I met two Americans and one Canadian, all on the cruise for varying reasons. After some small talk, we followed one of the members party which grew considerably when she noticed a contingent of cousins was still up into the dining hall where everyone but myself proceeded to pig out on burgers and chips until 2:30AM, where drunken and tired, we resided to our respective rooms. I was sober, however, and one of the people that joined us was a Psychiatry PhD student from Chicago named Shayna. She was quite intelligent and accompanied by her brother, who I think was drunk, but who knows. After finding an open area, we began talking around our respective courses, where she and I began an intense debate concerning the validity of my chosen doctoral choice, as she believes Cultural Analysis only points out the negatives in society, wherein there are plenty of positives that are being ignored. Her valid argument, although I disagree, got me thinking. Firstly, I believe simply dichotomizing my discipline into polarities does nothing for the work we do in the grey areas of life, but upon unveiling my thesis topic to her, she began to lambaste its validity in terms of whether I am actually going to be making a difference, or simply stating negatives – being a negative Nancy as my friend Zach would say, via South Park. Anywho, our argument got heated and ended in a stalemate, as I see Psychiatry as being very essentialist, where things are paraded off as either being useful or useless, without any mentioning of why, how and the structures and discursive codes that abet such labeling. An insane person is deemed useless, for example, even though he or she may be wildly intelligent. In addition, Africa would be seen as useless, while Iraq useful. I cannot accept such discernment.

However, our debate was encouraging, as it is making me question myself even more, a theme that has been permeating my internalities for quite some time, as it should be with everyone. I always wonder if what I am doing is making a concrete difference in life, helping people in laments terms rather than just helping myself. Shayna stated that a certain level of narcissism is normal, even though I see that as a modernist, Caucasian western construct, but regardless, it is valid. Yet, studying airports and living my privileged life is narcissistic, even though I recycle, am a staunch defender of human rights and free speech and try and save the environment. Is recording music, writing about bands and studying esoterica useful? Probably, or in my opinion, definitely. Is it externally useful? I am not sure. I have been discussing this unanswerable, almost paradoxical quandary with one of my closest friends lately, and we are both stalemated. She wants to change her life; I just want to refocus mine. I love what I do, I love whom I do it with, and I just want to improve who benefits from it, basically.

Yet, sitting here in the ‘library’ on the cruise and writing this is unabashedly hypocritical. I am in a nonspace built on excess. A largess, troubling sphere of western ignorance for the sake of a weeklong vacation, a place that ignores its social responsibility for the sake of a good time. I am in, literally in, the acme of narcissism. Furthermore, my only contact to the outside world other than the endless polluted water circumnavigating the boat is CNN and a world I tried to escape years ago and have been dragged back in; the world of privilege for the sake of privilege, blissful ignorance and classicized demarcations of self and narcissism.

Currently I am listening to Trail of Deed’s “Wasted State of Mind” off Worlds Apart, coincidentally, and the song and album title are resonating with me in a piercingly violent way. I have done the equivalent of nothing in the past two days, deserved or not, and I am going to continue to do nothing until we dock in about a week back in Florida. In the meantime, shore excursions are being offered ‘to mingle with other cultures’ and an endless heap of food, alcohol and fake smiles are being broadcasted throughout the ship. Upon eavesdropping a conversation over breakfast this morning, I found out the cruise ship uses 2200 pounds of butter a week to cook all the food. Imagine if instead of cruising, we all explored our hometowns, I mean really explored, or ventured off to a neighbouring city ignored because it fails to connote exoticism. I should feel lucky – and in many ways I do – and grateful for this opportunity. My dad has done a lot of work to bring me here, and I appreciate it. I just cannot help thinking this place troubles me, like being in a permanent airport departure lounge drenched in the salacity of Las Vegas and some sun. Yet, there was no sunset today; it is cloudy, and I have no plans tonite, other than trying to put on the face I have been avoiding looking at in order to meet some people and hopefully, engender some sort of meaningful experience that is not entirely lubricated on whisky and dreams of smoking pot in the Netherlands Antilles, as was the topic of conversation last night.

Yet, I feel refreshed, especially as I write this. Downstairs, there are two extremely talented musicians playing Bob Marley covers on a grand piano and a steel drum – a nice variation from the usual Christmas hoopla and caroling that has spread through the ship like strept throat. Plus, the girls are pretty – albeit in a summer camp, Abercrombie and Fisch manner, but pretty regardless (the ones who look over 19 only), whilst the alcohol is cold and there is plenty of time for reflection, as you can probably estimate.

So, I guess a sort of cruising chronicles is sprouting here. I have nothing to do here but think – about myself, my loves, my faults and my future – and as a writer, throwing up on paper is my release. It beats yelling at people or eating a shitload of chocolate, which by the way, is easily accomplished on this floating carnival for rich people. Until tomorrow. Dinner waits.

December 23rd, 2006 – 10PM (after dinner)

I feel so alone on this ship. For whatever reason, this boat spews a nuclear family ethos, something I have never been privy to. Dinner was nice; fancy for the sake of being fancy with above average fair, including a soup that could easily have been misconstrued as frozen yogurt. My father taught a group of retirees bridge today, and our conversation revolved around the quality of the attendees and the theory of universal grammar, as noted by Chomsky and Pinker. It is questionable whether a universal grammar exists, as languages are fundamentally different, well core languages that is. From counting systems to historiography, a sweeping universal grammar theory is a tough bargain, but I do believe that at some point in each one of our lives, we did intrinsically embody something of that ilk.

Being on this ship, it seems all the customers have lost any dedication towards universality, any link with others outside of their culture, any culturally universal grammar. I know this is a bit of a stretch. So, I have retired to the library once again, and after fumbling aimlessly on Photoshop for a few minutes, have resorted back to this journal of sorts, wondering if this makeshift book I am writing at sea will ever be published. There are some intensely personal elements in here, stuff I may decide to censor, and maybe this is too much, too much revealing, for a blog. Uncensored, unabashed shainhouse, essentially. How crap is that? I would not read it.

December 25th, 2006 – Merry Christmas

I keep thinking how much can change in a year. For me, my life has ultimately been turned on its head, shaken around and presented as something completely different. Enough about that, however, as that is not the reason I am sitting here on this cruise ship writing, instead of drinking my face off and hitting on someone. I did not update yesterday. That is because of the day before yesterday, December 23rd, and what occurred after I packed up my Mac when I finished writing the above entry. I was listening to Strangefolk today and their 1994 album “Lore,” where on one of the songs the lyrics state “I hope last night doesn’t wake up this morning, and tell tomorrow what I have done,” or something like that. Anywho, that night, two nights ago, slightly altered my perspective on the cruise, as for the umpteenth time, the social theory that states that it is more important who you’re with than where you are controlled the night. I certainly hope last night does not tell tomorrow what I did.

In a roundabout way, I met a girl whom I was once her camp counselor, and subsequently her family and friends, ten people strong. The night consisted of us – the legal ones – spending much of our time at the ‘nightclub’ dancing to crappy top 40 music whilst chatting up various employees of the ship, including a dancer, two spa workers and my Dad’s boss. It was a fun night, but I had too much to drink, ultimately showering the next day in hunger pangs, but these pangs did not cry for food; instead, they cried for normalcy, something my recovering body refused to grant.

So yesterday, I lounged around, went to the hot tub and pretended to read. And this is me NOT complaining. It was a lovely day, but one that saw me conk out at 9PM after watching some American football of all things on TV. I thought dinner would free me from feeling like crap, but nothing worked. I did get a reasonable amount of sleep, something that has become a problem on the boat.

The cruise shakes; all the fucking time. The folks working on this floating classicized orgasm do not notice it, but my stomach does. It is sensitive. Very sensitive. Therefore, I have been perpetually nauseous on the cruise, and yesterday illuminated that perfectly. Plus, it was formal night – something I obviously did not participate in. Formal night, what unmitigated bullshit – and I had to be up at 7AM for the port call. So sleep it was.

Today we visited St. Thomas, albeit in haste. St. Thomas is one of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and its capitol, Charlotte-Amelia, houses about 56,000 people. The first half of the day consisted of a pre-planned tour, something that was booked for me, which consisted of a boat ride to an adjacent island for some mountain biking and beaching. The tour was nice. Ten of us ventured off to Water Island, home to a whopping 106 people. A woman from Detroit who permanently lives on the island was our guide, and her husband rode down with us on the mountain bikes. The trail was bumpy, but enjoyable. I have a neat blister on my thumb. After the 5.5 bike ride, we rode down to their beach, which happens to be manmade. The island has an interesting history, filled with all sorts of hoopla revolving around a man from New York who purchased much of it after WWII and built a hotel and resort on it, as well as homes for friends and family. The island was a WWII bunker site that was never used – it never got finished before 1945 – and the state department sold it to this dude, 4000 hectares of it, in 1946. He then dredged a beach and built up the island, until a hurricane removed much of the success in the 1970s. Since, the island has diminished slightly from its past glory, despite its proud citizens and their dedication to the island way of life, all hundred of them. Yet, all water and gas is imported. For example, despite them having a fire station, a fire fighter has never graced it. They can’t institute a volunteer fire department because of union laws in St. Thomas, and the government cannot afford to hire one full time for the island. Plus, potable water is caught in tanks from rain and blackouts are frequent. It’s a way of life for some, but not for me. The beach, called Millennium Beach and accessible by water taxi, was quiescent, in an almost stoic manner. It truly could resemble paradise, if Corona adverts define it. There happened to be a wedding the night before on the beach, so leftover fruit and drinks were brought out as we lounged. After three hours of bike and beach, we boarded the water taxi back to St. Thomas.

After lunch, I explored St. Thomas. It is a bit of a shit hole, with nice weather. I decided to find my own way around at first – bad idea. I ended up in some slum, surrounded by chickens and barbed wire, with locals consistently approaching me offering up myriad drugs as well as begging for change. The first thing that gleaned over the first hill I climbed was a strip mall – with a KFC, Dominos, Subway and Scotiabank inside. How wonderful.

I scraped back down the hill to the port, hot as a yak in heat and caught a taxi towards downtown, which consists of a small crowd of streets ultimately overrun by jewelry merchants. Dozens and dozens of jewelers. My mother – who has been here – would have had another field day. I was unimpressed, especially because everything else was closed on Christmas. Therefore, after meeting my father in town, we hiked up another hill to find a synagogue founded in 1796, and after finding it closed, we snaked back down a steady slope of hills towards the downtown core, passing some colourful local shops and folks in the process. Yet, the whole town is strewn with trash. Everywhere, piles of beer bottles and fast food wrappers dot the corners, as if the inhabitants have a physical aversion to tossing something in the bin. The smell reflected the landscape, and I felt like I was in a barrio, or some part of the developing world. This was not a wealthy place, this was a Caribbean Detroit.

I did, however, sample some Bermudan Ginger Beer – fantastic by the way – and met a couple locals, who seemed proud of their little rock, which to me is slowly turning into another landfill. It could be gorgeous; the culture is lively, the people were wonderful and the town’s architecture reminded me of Northern Portugal, but the trash was too much to bare. It was pervasive. After a long day, we made our way back to port and boarded the ship. Since, I have napped, hot-tubbed, ate and lounged. I am one lucky duck.

While the metaphors of cruising still bother me, I am adjusting to this lifestyle and vacation and enjoying myself more. Regardless, I do not think this whole cruising thing is for me. More on that later. Merry Christmas.


Wednesday, December 27, 2006:

Cruises are interesting entities. I only have about fifty minutes left on my battery, so here goes some explanation from the last few days. I did not update yesterday, as it was another port day, in Sint Maarten. Sint Maarten is the smallest landmass divided by two countries, the Netherlands and France. Phillipsburg in the capitol of the Dutch side and Marigot the French side, and the total population is about 56,000. All is peaceful, as the only divided is a sign. No one speaks Dutch, as French is the main language in addition to English, as the country has a sordid past with slavery and plantations, mostly with British and American ownership. From first impression, Sint Maarten is much lovelier than St. Thomas, as it is cleaner, fresher and hillier. To begin the day, I went sea kayaking with my father to an aquatic habitat unlike any other in the world, where mangrove trees protect an endangered shallow sea area from hurricanes (normal for the island), allowing jellyfish, sea cucumbers and coral to flourish. The colour of these jellyfish was amazing; hues of white and blue, somewhat iridescent but bursting with an innate fervor of life, and tame enough to pick up, albeit properly. We floated around the mangrove trees for a while – a very important plant by the way because its think branches protect from mudslides overflowing the reef – and then kayaked to a beach within a yacht port. While the yachts were abominably huge, too huge for me, the beach was lovely; white sand, virtually empty minus a few topless sunbathers and warm. The water was nearly eighty degrees and completely clear, so you could see the small coral communities flourishing below. The island has been in a constant fight with hurricanes, so there was lots of reconstruction throughout the beach community, but the area was pleasant – quiet, clean, serene, the Caribbean. We kayaked back, a distance of nearly two miles that to be honest, I did not enjoy, engendering a few nasty blisters along the way; but in retrospect, it was worthwhile. My thumbs are both cut up to shit right now, however.

After enjoying a few complimentary Caribbean lagers to reward us for the lengthy paddle, we boarded a bus back to the cruise, stopping at a sort of a duty free along the way that allowed us to sample guava berry rum, a delicacy on the island. I’ve decided I like guava berry rum. It is another one of those island drinks that can be chugged with knowledge that it is furiously alcoholic. The Vanilla rum, with flecks of Vanilla bean squirming inside, was also great. I like rum.

Furthermore, the rest of day was spent walking around Phillipsburg, a nice beach town that has little litter, lots of tourist shops and cheap beer – which you can drink anywhere because you are technically in Holland – along with some new friends, a few crew members I met kayaking. We got back to the boat at 4:30PM and sailed away.

The crew leads interesting lives. I keep thinking of the Futurama episodes that feature the sewer mutants, and that would create an image of how the crew lives. They have their own city, literal city, on the bottom deck of the boat away from the passengers. It includes a crew mess, or dining hall for those nautical colloquialism challenged, a bar, a dance hall, medic office, lounges, a ping-pong table, and all the nasty stuff passengers do not see, like garbage and toilet disposal, composting and kitchen facitlities. My friends work with small children, and they got off manning the ‘fun zone’ at 10PM and we proceeded to go to a crew BBQ, which was held on a hidden deck at the front of the boat, away from the passengers. Some people spend years on a boat, or at least six months at a time, and the life that is created in this little city, from social politics to sex, amenities and interpersonal requirements, is thought provoking. They literally live in hiding, away from the passengers, burdened with rules like when to eat and where and how to look and so on, but yet, their life is as exciting and creative as any passengers, maybe more so. Forty-six minutes on my battery. I am going to go plug in my computer.

(plugged in) The life of the crew fascinated me. I ate in the crew mess today for lunch with my friends, as they are served the leftovers from the main dining hall buffet service that the passengers eat, yet with no frills, no service and no smile. It is extremely blue collar, almost collectively stoic, and unruly perplexing. Tales of sex, divorce, inebriation, hating work, the whole cat and caboodle overshadowed our conversation, as if we weren’t floating in the middle of the ocean on a traveling barge turned salacious city. Life is life, as if I would be sitting at the Soundgarden bitching about school, but instead, our surroundings were completely different. It did not matter, though. Stories of further trips, Alaska, Panama, Hong Kong and beyond were verbally thrown around like meal selections, almost pervasively commandeering the conversation. I could not feel how constrained they were in one way, almost to the point where they could be qualified as well paid servants, and how free they were in another way. It is another ultimate paradox. A swirling theoretical conundrum, all packaged in the basement of a giant boat. I am so lucky for being considered crew and being exposed to the real lives that make this one gigantic fake life float. A new discovery, indeed.

After meeting them at the BBQ, we went to the passenger’s bar, Explorers, and danced and drank until 4AM. It was truly a treat, a convergence of peasant and prince, pauper and priest, to the tune of Skee-Lo’s “I Wish I Was a Baller.”

I am convincingly tired this morning. In retrospect I mean, as its nearly seven o’clock. Right now it is Wednesday night, and we are due to get off the boat Friday at 7AM, with a flight scheduled back to Canada at 11:30AM. I am ready to get off the boat. I do not think I mesh with the transcribed culture enthusiastically pumped into the clientele on cruise ships. The sheer excess, unethical at times, is nauseating. The free hooch has been lovely, especially because most of it has been Scotch – I am drinking a Rob Roy at the moment – but the constant stream of food, entertainment, distraction and nothingness is souring. While there are limitless activities available, I feel bored, almost trapped in a way. I sat in a hot tub today with a few makeshift cruise friends and watched them dive off the hot tub into an adjacent pool directly below, despite a sign adorning the area instructing them not to dive. An ensuing older lady emerged, pissed off at the disrespect, and proceeded to call security on my immature friends, creating a situation better for a National Lampoon movie than anything else. This little situation is a perfect metaphor for the cruise thus far. Nothing is consistently ordinary, in the middle, ‘normal.’ Everything sways to the side of excess, from the dessert selection to the harassment of youth for jumping into a pool. Everything is figuratively overboard, something Heidegger would construe as a distraction that has enveloped life itself, almost so that life on the cruise equals distraction, synonymously. I feel distracted. I have gotten very little work done, and reading Foucault has become nearly impossible.

Yet, I guess that is what cruising, or vacationing is all about. Our daily lives are so bad that we must escape them at all cost, get suntanned, drunk and leach off culture we know nothing about, whilst feeding our consumptionist ethic on prime rib and strawberry shortcake. With me, the day-to-day is not that bad. I love my life, barring its problems, so to me, this is not a vacation; this is more of a discomfort. I feel horribly cynical, critical and downright rude writing this, as I am lucky to be able to partake in this, but I believe that this prescribed luck is culturally crafted because cruises are seen as luxurious, rich and opulent. To be honest, my favourite moment thus far was in the crew quarters, because it was the moment that reminded me of whom I am, not what I desire to be because society delineates as such. I do not need cruising, excess, libratory consumption, stuffing of the proverbial face and touristing; I love the scotch, beer, some of the conversation (I have met some wonderful people, whilst also sharing conversation with people I do not get, or do not get me) and the weather. But I feel like the conscious cost of enjoying this is not worth the 24hour buffet. I would rather work on a cruise, see life as it is, not what it wants to be, and sail the fair seas with equals, rather than classicists. I am not saying everyone on the boat is driven by money, as generalizations are rife with discriminatory assumptions, but I have met a few folks who simply make my head spin. That is for another discussion however.

So tonight much of the same is planned. My father and I will eat in the communal buffet, rather than booking into the fancy dining hall, as we do not have the formal attire to partake, nor would I want to, as I always feel self-conscious in formal situations. Ironically, another formal night has been declared, as I have already seen one too-many bowties. Plans are to meet a transitory buddy at Explorers at 10:30PM and see what happens, which in cruise-lingo translates to getting drunk and hitting on girls, two things I am not particularly interested in. I know who I want and she is not here unfortunately, and I don’t want to get drunk, unless its with her. She remains a pronoun for blog sake, but she knows who she is.

On a wonderful note to end this entry, I have seen two of the most fantastic rainbows I have ever witnessed, one on a rainy day at sea and one above Sint Maarten as we were departing. Furthermore, I have seen some of the magnificent sunsets and stars as well. Lying on the deck at the crew BBQ yesterday was mesmerizing. I felt insignificant – once again – as my entire being ebbed and flowed around the natural puzzles forming in the sky. Tonite, a similar ethos will prevail, as I plan to venture outside and spend sometime alone talking to the stars, in hopes that someone may be up there, listening to my cynical wails and sarcastic shrieks. Here’s hoping. Lastly, RIP James Brown. Here’s to you, one of the biggest musical influences I have been lucky enough to discover. You’re the man, and always will be. Expect one final entry tomorrow and then I’ll upload the whole shebang after landing in Canada.

Moving Completed Ahoy!

While I still have a bunch of crap on the floor waiting to be stuffed into a bag for Canada, I have completed my move in Amsterdam. It took three trips (2KM each) on a bike for everything, which isn't bad. I have still accumulated a whole mess of crap here I've realized, including books, CDs, an ironing board of all things and other doodads.

I leave for North America tomorrow morning. I'm flying to Chicago and then to Toronto tomorrow, and then off to Ft. Lauderdale the next day. Then I'm on 'vacation' for a week. I even put a vacation responder on my e-mail, so I will really be away.

In the meantime, please visit www.shainhouse.com/kaesun.zip and download "Soliloquy" if you haven't and come see us in January. We're playing in your town hopefully. Check out our MYSPACE for the tourdates. Other than that, I hope to see any Canadian that is reading this blog, and to my lovely non-Canadian friends, see you in the New Year.

Happy Holidays!!!

Geneva,

I am back from Geneva, and I refused to check my e-mail when I was 'on vacation,' so here go begins some sort of makeshift 'round-up' of the festivities in a gorgeous, yet wildly expensive city. I'll stop putting 'quotation marks' on everything and get to it.

I landed on THR at 4PM, knowing full well my friends would have to go to work the next day. My friend Meghan lives in a flat with three of her coworkers in Plain Palais, a nice student neighbourhood that has a propensity for circuses, so her flat is aptly titled 'the circus.' It's a nice pun, as the organization she works for that put her up, Franciscans International, has owned the flat for years so the moniker has apparently been earned. There was a circus across the street the entire time I stayed also, even though we never made it there, except to buy a baguette of all things from a carney because that was the only way to get one on Sunday.

Geneva is lovely. All swiss cities are lovely. Geneva is small and loops around Lake Geneva, which provides a beautiful waterfront that is fun to walk around and plenty of boutique shops. Plus, everyone is rich, so much of the city is structured in a wealthy, French way. Big, ornate buildings, gorgeous balconies and plenty of flowers. This time around, it was Christmas trees that took precedent, but regardless, the flora was all over.

THR was spent getting to know her roomates and drinking at a neighbourhood bar. The beer they have there on tap is really good, called Feldschlossen. I remember drinking it in Basel... it may have contributed to the German Smooching Story, but that's another blog entry. Anywho, we had dinner at a Thai Place, relaxed and chilled as they were to go to work the next day.

After walking and walking and walking around both the gorgeous and not-so-gorgeous parts of Geneva the next day, one of the roomate's boyfriends and I decided to head up towards their work, where most of the UN's NGO's live and surprise them. Two of them could leave with us (Meaghan and Caroline) and we went grocery shopping and made dinner. After dinner, more inebriates took hold of our languid bodies (me from walking, them from working) and we pretty much just went to sleep, unless I am forgetting something. I remember drinking enough before leaving the flat to lubricate me from the impending cold.

Saturday Meaghan took me around Geneva, and I explored the Old Town, sampled some fantastic Olive Oil, walked and walked and walked, ate Quiche and ended up in Globus, which is a Pusateri's for even richer people with FREE SAMPLES. We spent over an hour sampling brandy, apple ice cider, champagne, chocolate (oh the chocolate) and others before we ran into my friend Nat and headed back. After Globus, my other friend Eamon invited us for dinner, and the rest of the night is much of a blur. He cooked mexican food and had tons of Vodka, as well some new friends of his from Geneva. After dinner, we went to a Geneva Squat Bar, a weird place open after 2AM with 3 franc beers and odd people. Let's just say it was an experience.. of some kind. Eamon's balcony has a lovely view of the lake and the waterjet (a big shooting jet of water in the lake that is a sort of tourist trap), provided the perfect backdrop for a dinner party. It was all I could ask for. Thanks dude.

On Sunday we woke up late and I made brunch for everyone. It consisted of a veggie and brie quiche with potato topping and grilled sausages for the meat eaters... Plus plenty of bread and hummos. After brunch with Meaghan, her roomates Caroline and Melissa and Melissa's boyfriend Gavin, we went to the Carouge Christmas Market, which is a sort of German-themed craft market with mulled wine, Grogg (hot wine and vodka) and crafts. It was packed, as it was the only thing open, but I met up with Nat again which was nice. She and I did multimedia together so we have that kinship only us crazy mmedia folks can have... After crafts and tea (coffee for me), we went back to the flat and waited for Eamon to show up before heading out for a pint... After the pint, we came home to find Nat and Farhad's lovely girlfriend Nikki cooking us dinner, which was fantastic.. More beers followed and now I am back in Amsterdam, pooped and sad because I've returned to real life.

Quick Notes:
1. Switzerland is EXPENSIVE. Beware when you go. The girls stopped caring, as they knew it was a rich country.
2. I bought a shitload of chocolate.. Non-denominational holiday gifts for all.
3. Swiss Vodka is better than any other Vodka. You can drink it straight.


I am going back to North America on WED. How crazy. Where did the time go. wow.

Moving Day...

I did something today I thought I would never do. I moved house on a bike. Just me, and a bike.. one large duffel bag, one big box, a printer, knick-knacks, three knapsacks and 3 drums, on a bike. It wasn't an ordinary bike, however, it was a Bakfiets, a common bike in Amsterdam, but something that is so uniquely Amsterdam, uniquely Dutch, I feel like I have assimilated just that much more. Ook mijn nederlands sprecken nog ga ercht beter so I can really dive into this culture. I know my friend Renee will read this and point out the grammatical errors in the above, but I tried. Anywho, I biked a total of 15km today, as I had to make two trips (3km each) for a total of 12, plus hustle down to class and back home. It totals about 15km. My calves feel like steel and to be honest, I've never been in better shape in my life. I'm actually feeling somewhat self-confident about myself, as no more does running 40 metres wind me out. Now I can run at least a kilometre or two before I need a break. A picture of my moving vehicle is below. I'm going to Switzerland tomorrow to see my friend's Meghan, Farhad, Eamon, Nikki and Nat. Back on Monday and I'll update this along the way. Love ya.

Two Updates in One Day...


I just hope people read this and realize that Iraq and the Middle East are not the be all and end all of the problems in the world... Really, they are nothing compared to this:

NY Times Article

I feel horrible and helpless.

Paradoxes,

Life is one big paradox... All we try to do throughout life is try to even out these polarities as best we can, to achieve some sort of equilibrium. Some days these paradoxes unveil themselves beautifully, but others they are more transparent. Today has been one of those days... Thinking, thinking, thinking.. Switzerland in two days.

Here's an article I just published on Two Gallants. It's about race.

Two Gallants and Cold War Kids - 11.18 - JamBase

Case of the Mondays...

It's quite gloomy today. I woke up and it was raining, and it is still raining. The only difference is, it's 4:00PM now and quite dark outside. I am going out for dinner tonite so I will have to brave the rain once more on my bike; something I am excited about, lemme tell you.

I leave for Switzerland on THR, move a week today and then leave for 6 weeks to the Caribbean and Canada a week tomorrow, on DEC 20. Things are winding down in a way, and winding up in others. I sense an interested 2007 ahead, one that I pray is better than 2006. This was a rough year.

Definitely a day laced with pathetic fallacies. The weather is king.. Besides, I get all the news I need from it.

Writing...

I jut started work with a new magazine, Pop Matters. They are quite well respected in North America, and I'm looking forward to adding more global coverage to the site. Here is the second piece I wrote for them. Hope you enjoy.

Kelly Joe Phelps and Sarah Harmer - 11.23 - Amsterdam, NL

Howdy,

I'm tired. Absolutely knackered. shattered. all the above. I haven't seen the sun in over a week, and I've been told it doesn't grace Amsterdam until May. How fantastic. This is no medium to rant in, so I won't rant. I'm just pooped.

Living three separate lives is exhausting, but I guess at 23, its sorta the time to do it. I want to focus on one, but I don't know which one yet, so soldiering on I go. I get a break in a little over a week, with a jaunt down to Switzerland to see some friends. That will be nice.

So over the weekend, I met a crazy dude with my friend Farhad. I'm going to try and explain him, but it's one of those 'you had to see this man in person' people. He just sat next to us at Bagels and Beans on the Kinkerstraat in Amsterdam, and proceeded to wield off wikipedia-esque bullshit like it was a white house press conference. Here's a short list of what this mastermind told me.

1. John Lennon is from Hamburg and still alive.
2. His sister is from Dusseldorf
3. You can make the following from pine cones; tobacco, pot, hash, beer, cigars and peanut butter.
4. He built sets for Budweiser at the Montreal Jazz Fest.
5. He worked for 20 years in Paris as a glass blower.
6. My friend Halliday should change her name for fears of getting kidnapped by people looking for a holiday.
7. The owner of the Hilton chain has black hair and isn't named Hilton
8. Fats Domino played in a forest called Brabant in Holland and he had sex with his wife while it was happening.
9. I look like a pianist.
10. He once saw a movie in Ohio at a theatre modeled after one in Amsterdam. He took the 'flybus' to get there. (my friend Nikki from Cincinnati sparked this one)
11. He knew John Lennon 40 years ago in Germany (this one could be true)
12. There is some sort of correlation between the way a pine cone grows and the way a pineapple grows. (he had two pine cones in his pocket. God know where he got them in Amsterdam, a city bereft of Pine trees)
13. He does not drink, but he smokes and enjoys a fine smoke-gar.

I'm sure there was more. It was great. Puts a smile on my face thinking about it. I'm still pooped. Back to the essay. HAPPY SINTERKLAAS.

Oh, yesterday my friend Jared said at his canteen at the Conservatory van Amsterdam, the lunchlady's were serving them in Blackface to celebrate Sinterklaas. What a magical holiday.

Here's pics of Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piete, cause the sun is out for four minutes and I'm in the holiday spirit.

KAE SUN NEWS!

Tourdates

THR, Jan 11 - The Red Dog, Peterborough, ON
w/ The Jimmy Swift Band

FRI, Jan 12 - The Main Hall, Montreal, QC
w/ Fredyv and Black Soil and What The Thunder Said

WED, Jan 17 - Third Floor Reilly's, Toronto, ON
w/ Shad K and What The Thunder Said

THR, Jan 18 - The Pepper Jack Cafe, Hamilton, ON
w/ The Jimmy Swift Band

FRI, Jan 19 - Vinyl, Guelph, ON
w/ The Jimmy Swift Band

SAT, Jan 20 - TBA, Windsor, ON
w/ What The Thunder Said

BIO:

Fresh off winning the Hamilton Music Award for Hip-Hop Recording of the Year, Kae Sun will be hitting the road with his band in January before returning to the studio to record a follow-up to 2006s award-winning Soliloquy.

Kae Sun is hip hop's true believer; a diverse musician with an uplifting repertoire. Whether singing or rapping, Kae Sun communicates honesty and realism through a raw, inspired and soulful vocal style coupled with progressive and politically charged lyricism. As stated in Echo Weekly, Kae Sun "abandons bling for brains, as his words both embrace and transcend the human condition." Over the past few years, in collaboration with several musicians and bands, Kae Sun has initiated a sound deeply rooted within but not restricted to the traditions of reggae, soul, funk, gospel and hip-hop music.

Soliloquy released in January 2006 under Toronto based Life Records Entertainment debuted to a sold out audience of over 300 in Hamilton. Subsequently, Soliloquy garnered heavy underground and local recognition leading to favourable press coverage, a tour of southern Ontario and heavy rotation on college radio including charting with McMaster's CFMU. Furthermore, the album garnered attention as far as Memphis, Tennessee and Amsterdam, including a request to have "Kidnapped" and "Stay Up" featured in an independent movie in Austria. "Stay Up" has also been featured on Pulse Radio in London, UK. Kae Sun has also been featured as the cover story with both Hamilton's VIEW Magazine and Kitchener/Waterloo's ECHO Weekly, and he received acclaimed press in the Hamilton Spectator, McMaster Silhouette, London Free Press, MonkeyBiz and Music in Ghana. Kae Sun has shared the stage with Jackie Richardson, DK Ibomeka, Shad K, K-os, Bob Egan of Blue Rodeo, Vanderpark and many other Canadian bands and musicians from across the genre map.

Live, Kae Sun is a force. Each stage performance, whether performing alone, with an acoustic act or full band, is a spiritual journey encompassing the best of the secular and sacred paradigms at once. Kae Sun's music is heartfelt, thoughtful, incisive and critical without being exhaustively didactic. Whether rhyming or singing, Kae Sun reminds you that while there is eternal beauty among us, there is always work to be done to make things better for everyone. A true testament of the engagingly personal culture of Western Africa, Kae Sun is the perfect blend of old and new, foreign and familiar, groove and soul. Political, spiritual, prolific, melodic and soulful, Kae Sun proves that hip-hop is flourishing without the shackles of demeaning lyricism, gangsta-intonation and negativity. Come see for yourself. Kae Sun will be supporting Below Me Music Artists The Jimmy Swift Band in Hamilton and Guelph, Shad K in Toronto and Fredyv and Black Soil in Montreal. Guelph's What The Thunder Said will be accompanying Kae Sun throughout the tour as his support band, as well as playing sets of their own.

Download Soliloquy for FREE at www.shainhouse.com/kaesun.zip
Website: www.kaesunmusic.com
Myspace: www.myspace.com/kaesun
Sonicbids: www.sonicbids.com/kaesun
TagWorld: www.tagworld.com/kaesunmusic
Blog: www.kaesunmusic.blogspot.com
PureVolume: www.purevolume.com/kaesun

Press Quotes:

..While combining traditional African rhythms, the characteristic boom bap sound of hip hop, and spirit cleansing soul, Kae comments on social issues and provides a much needed dose of spiritual emancipation. He abandons bling for brains, and his words both embrace and transcend the human condition... -Denise de la Frenier .. Echo Weekly

..Soulful, socially conscious Canadian hip-hop has a new name to champion. And since K-os and K..Naan have proven the success of the letter K, it won..t be too difficult to embrace Kae Sun .. especially since he sounds so good... .. Lori Mastronardi, London Free Press.

..His new album, Soliloquy, also lives in two worlds, so to speak, combining the rhythms of hip-hop with live instrumentation. The songs combine the western and the African, the gospel and the secular, the social and the spiritual... .. James Tennant, Hamilton Spectator

..Lyrically and musically, Kae Sun's expression is for the most part competent and cosmopolitan, melodic and mature, and even at times as inspiring as it is inspired, casting aside the boasting that permeates pop hip hop and delving into his own musical roots from the classics... - Ric Taylor, View Magazine, Hamilton

Procrastination,

By writing this blog entry, I am procrastinating. I have been doing so all day, despite the betterment of the situation. If I did my work, then I could party; but I party, instead of doing my work. And the circle, goes round and round. I've yet to paint a pony either.

It's getting colder, which is good because the colder it gets, the less I feel like the world is going to hell. Warmth, especially on December 1st, is not a good sign. Yet, the way we seem to be continuing along in our way of life, hope is facetious. It has just been that kind of day, it seems.

This weekend is reserved for work, and I truly believe I can feel accomplished - a rarity in my life - by Sunday night. I promised to reward myself with drinks on Sunday, but I'm sipping some Belgian ale as we speak, so I'm a bit of a cheater. Aren't we all?

more later.