tim’s thought property

In the last two weeks, I’ve managed to (in no particular order):

•Acquire a job as a barista at Starbucks, in a Chapters bookstore, no less
•Learn the feats and abilities to manage an espresso bar, cold beverage station and learning to
bus tables
•Find the abilities within to not be consumed with in-experience at the job of Wedding
Photographer for Gill and Josh’s wedding
•Be able to plan a somewhat decent Sunday School lesson for a class of five sixth-grade girls
•Be able to prepare to plan another Sunday School lesson for a class of sixth-grade girls
•Say goodbye to a dear friend who will no longer be living in this city
•Finally get out to the Provincial Park to get some foliage shots, before all the leaves are gone
•Have a sleep over in a tent-trailer, with a night time windchill of -4°C
•Attend a bachelor party with a Safeway cake that says “Pre-made Penis“, spelt out by the groom, no less
•Manage to watch Forrest Gump long enough to be forty minutes late to pick up a friend at the airport*
•Get into an hour long talk about Tim Penner’s “Strategy for Crises; with full appendices”
•Watch all of Season 1 of Lost in four and half days

*Note that this is Carolyn’s fault. I’d be punctual, I could promise that.

Until yesterday, she was here,
in the country, in the city;
living nearby and the door always open.

Until yesterday, the border patrol
never bothered to bother her,
to tell her she couldn’t stay,
to tell her that she wasn’t welcome.

Wasn’t welcome by whom?
The badge of the Canadian Customs Officer?
The Immigration Department?

None of these people showed any interest at all,
any interest, until she had to cross their paths.

Why was it such a problem to get permanent residency?
Why was it such a problem to cross the border?
Why now, was there such a keen interest?

Until yesterday, I thought there would be countless times
to get together;
countless opportunities for pictures,
for concerts,
for barbecues
and long nights of talking.
What about Scrabble,
and movies,
and all the banter that went part and parcel?

The last thing she saw here,
was a sinking sun,
on the cloud-swathed skies of the Prairies.
Navy and violet, and red and orange and yellow,
all slowly sinking west,
the direction from which she came,
and the direction I didn’t want her to return to.

The last thing she received were,
words of support,
embraces longer than usual,
solemn faces,
and frustrated goodbyes.

The last thing we saw,
was the tears in her eyes,
as she drove down to the South,
and to who-knows-when-we-shall-see-you-again.

That’s correct, all; I have been hired. I got the job that I was looking for and striving after. I will begin my job as a Starbucks barista tomorrow, and that is an answer to my many prayers. In fact, today the situation was just that. I sat down with my late breakfast and began to pray, the usual thanks and blessing of the food. I went on to pray about getting this position at the Chapters Starbucks, down by Polo Park, and as I am praying about this, the phone rings. It’s the very same Starbucks calling and they ask if I still want the position, and I emphatically say “YES!” and I’m told I can begin tomorrow morning, at opening. I hung up the phone, did a little air-punching and a little victory dance, then thanked GOD for his blatant and evident answer to prayer. Oh boy, was that load ever taken off my shoulders. No more worrying about if I will get a job here, no more hoping about having work, it all came together this morning. I gave Sarah a call in Lethbridge, I went outside to my brother and dad working on the shed roof, to inform them of my new employed status, and then left to buy the clothes I’d need for a uniform. I dropped by my Mom’s work to let her know. And now all of you know; all of you that know me and all of you that don’t. I’m employed.

These are a few more from the show. You can see what I mean about the lighting working so well.
This is Rob singing their song Trudeau.

This is another shot of Rene, when singing The People’s Cry.

This is Rob, playing on Closing of the Mill.

Rob looking divinely inspired, as he plays on.

Another Rene, this time in black and white.

These are more photos from the CD release on Thursday.
This is Aaron on drums

Chris on Bass

Rene singing, with a halo.

Rob singing, with some coloured background action.

Rene closing the show, with “The People’s Cry”.

The Attics. Winnipeg’s the Attics; viewable at http://theatticsmusic.com. Did they ever put on a great show! There is something electrifying about live shows and perhaps I’ve been a little starved for shows in the last months. Frequency of concerts notwithstanding, the show was amazing. The lighting itself was as much as a star as the band. From a photographer’s point of view, this show had some of the most camera friendly lights that I’ve come across.

Now, the West End is an old church in the West End of the city. It is quite dark at the best of times, without a band on the stage. Yet once the Attics took the stage, it had already been warmed up by The Morning After and Matt Epp. TMA had some ferocious energy, especially the keyboardist. Boy, that guy was rocking out the hardest, I seriously thought he might have hit his head on the keyboard. At one point he even came down to the crowd to start a clap.

Matt Epp was just solo with his guitar and a harmonica for a couple of songs. His husky voice is like a deeper Bob Dylan, with his folksy sound just echoing nicely off the walls. Think of John Mayer singing with simpler, yet sincere sounding guitar. That is how I’d describe Matt, you know, aside from being really friendly.

When the Attics took the stage, they came on one at a time, to the opening of their single “Once a World“. It started with a single guitar, then the second, then the bass, then the drums and oh it was a great start. The guys decided to go with a linear approach to the set, with playing their songs in the order they are on the album. Clever approach, since people like me have only seen them, you know, once before and my knowledge of their songs were limited.
As they played on, the songs ” ‘68“, “Turn” and “Closing of the Mill” just rang in my ears. They have this method of projecting overheads of the song titles, with clever pictures drawn to show what the song is about. Perhaps it’s a throw-back to the Freeman days, but I think it’s a unique little quirk.
When their set was finished, the crowd screamed for “Ten more songs!” And when they came out again, the Attics played through some of their powerful material not on the album. “The Ocean” and “Rush the Gates” being some really great live songs. Aaron was in his element playing drums on “Rush…“, it was “A drummer’s paradise” as Rob put it.
They decided to end the show with “The People’s Cry“, which was so heartfelt live. The lights were dimmed and two spots were on Rene, and it gave such a deeper feel to the song. The band played to their fullest that night. Chris is probably one of the more active bassists I’ve seen in a while, not afraid to move around on stage. Rob and Rene were singing alternate leads and doing a fine job, if I must say.
I realize that this post is more of a gushing praise than anything, and well, I felt really good on Thursday, so I’m relating that. Besides, I’m no rock critic anyhow. Look elsewhere for objectionable reviews of that show. With 240 pictures that night, and a good chunk of them turning out, I felt all the better.

I shall post some more of the pictures from the show, I’ve had to pick some of the better ones, and it was a little difficult for me, a picture fiend. I hope you enjoy.