Stuff: items, things, or matter.
For decades our “dependence” or “need” for “things” has increased. As I recently sat at my one table, a table covered in my belongings at the local flea market, trying at times almost desperately to hustle a few dollars for something I originally paid much more for I wondered, “where do we get all this crap?”.
Some of my junk that I was flogging at the Market of Fleas - photo by Nancy Morrison
I had one table out of hundreds in one large barn like building in one city. Inside this building are vendors and dealers, some who have been there for over 20 years weekend after weekend selling their own and other peoples discarded “stuff”.
Just as one example, remember those VHS video tapes of all the hit Disney movies that came out long before the acronym DVD was ever invented. I remember people collecting those, waiting for the release of the next one, stocking bookshelves with their shiny white plastic cases that housed two spools of video tape contained within another plastic box. Disney had people eating from the palm of their hand, holding back releases of certain titles and then only releasing certain amounts to create even more of a demand. Well, it’s only been what, 20 years? Twenty years since some of those titles that went for $30 plus dollars each were on the top of many a movie collectors list. Fast forward to present day where if one were so inclined they could walk into the Vancouver Flea Market and buy all those Disney titles in VHS and in triplicate for literally pennies on the dollar. In more than one vendor’s booths I saw stacks of these movies standing as I high as I do. Going for a dollar or less each. The DVD versions aren’t fairing much better. Then, despite knowing that it’s because technology is changing so fast I still started to wonder why, even though we as humans know that something will be obsolete in 6 months to a year to we keep buying, buying, buying.
more…
Last night I walked up the stairs to the managers suite in my building and quietly slipped a piece of paper under his door. My written 30 day notice that on July 31st I’ll be vacating the apartment I’ve called home since July 2006.
Today I woke up late. I’ve been doing some running work for various concerts when I can pick it up. Today is the second show of “Star Wars in Concert” here in Vancouver. As I was heading out the door I started thinking that I was crazy. One part of me is completely excited about the prospects, opportunities and freedom my upcoming trip may bring. The other part of me…well, it’s stressed right out. Some days I feel like an overheating walking nuclear reactor.
more…
So I’ve been home here in Vancouver for 3 months. I had some plans coming home that involved finding new work and upgrading my photographic gear and working on other photographic endeavors. Instead, I’ve had no luck and am finding myself doing the same redundant things that I was doing before I left on my cross Canada winter adventure. I miss the road more than ever and I refuse to sit here and spin my wheels, scraping enough money together to cover my rent only to do the exact same thing next month.
I have decided that I will head back out on the road and do another “no budget” trip. This time I have slightly rethought out plans that should evolve and snowball into perhaps a perpetual way to eek out a living and earn me the money to keep traveling. With any luck, indefinitely.
more…
So the hard drive I dropped while in Ontario, the one containing my first 95 days worth of photos is dead and unrecoverable. After taking it to two reputable data recovery places here in Vancouver the consensus is that it was a “head crash”.
“Our lab has completed the evaluation of your unit. I regret to inform you that the drive was found to have a head crash, which the technicians have deemed unrecoverable. This is very unfortunate.
Head Crash occurs when the Head Disk Assembly comes in contact with the platters, physically erasing the data. In this type of situations, replacing the Head Disk Assembly will not work as once it reaches the scratched area the new head will fail as well.”
So over 3 months of driving, walking, hiking, sleeping in the truck and generally doing what I love to do has resulted in a huge kick in the face. It wouldn’t be so bad except for the fact that the reason for the trip was to build my photographic portfolio, to capture things that only driving across Canada’s back roads could produce. Then to have people become interested and excited, wanting prints and even a gallery show in Calgary. Now everything, is simply gone.
I’m sure some of you are wondering why I didn’t back everything up. Well because I couldn’t really afford to spend the money on the second hard drive. Or so I thought at the time. I guess some lessons are simply learned hard. Right now, I just have to fight to keep my financial head above water, with no help from the last 4 months of wasted work.
I’m sure I’ll be fine. At the time of writing this I’ve just gotten this news. Perhaps one day I can do this trip again.
I originally left Vancouver back in October because I wanted to get away from the Olympics. The construction, the chaos, the political disputes and protests (although I agree with many of their points). I had planned to stay away until after the games were done and gone…but here I am.
My friends had taunted me, saying that the vibe and energy was great. The people were here and the experiences were something you may only have the opportunity to have once. With that said I came home early and I’m glad I did.
The energy is amazing. The patriotic feeling across the city as we watch Canada’s athletes compete and cheer them on while hosting the rest of the world is amazing. This IS truly a once in a lifetime experience and how fitting that it came right after finishing another that I will never forget.
I’m glad to be home! Go Canada Go!
Canada Scores on Germany! Goal Six.
As a pass through Springhill I’ve stopped in to spend a few days with my little sister before moving on. It’s going to be a long time before I see her and the kids again so a little time spent here to recharge and connect.
So come Thursday morning I will be back in the truck and on my way. The weather is also looking to be a bit better then too so that makes me happy.
I’ve been doing a little bit of editing on the 300GB of raw photos I’ve acquired so far on this trip. Good thing I bit the bullet and got a 1TB hard drive to store everything on.
So until Thursday night, keep warm friends.
Penny Lane II
So I haven’t done much on the way of interesting travels in the last few weeks as I’ve been here in Springhill visiting my sister and her kids, Styles and Emma whom I haven’t seen or spent much time with in the last few years so it was a nice time of catching up.
Christmas was nice, fairly mellow as money was tight all around but it is the time together that matters most. I got a cool and very timely gift from my sister. Once I was settled in she came downstairs with a small case and asked “would you use this?”. Inside was a used simple lower level GPS. Hell yes, it’s perfect!! So now I have a little help finding things and people as I continue on my trip and work my way home. So if you have a cool property or know of a place that I’d be interested in shooting, please simply send me a note with the address and I’ll perhaps stop by. You could possibly see my shots of it up on here next.
I’ve been doing some photo editing here and have been slowly adding shots and galleries to my photo section and tidying up the names and titles etc. If you have some time, take a look at some of the photos so far.
So I figure I’ll stay here in Springhill to celebrate New Years. Although, there is part of me that wants to be on the Easternmost point of Newfoundland so I can be one of the very first Canadians to ring in 2010. I believe it will be a much better year for me and for many of my friends whom have had a lackluster 2009. So as much as I’d like to be done with 2009 as quickly as possible I believe I’ll stay and have some fun with family, then most likely be on the road again for January 2nd.
So as I finish out my stay here with my sis, I wish everyone taking the time to read this a very Happy New Year and may 2010 bring you much awesomeness, happiness and love.
All the Best, See you next year 
Wayne
Inside Outside
Honestly before I got here I was planning on spending more time coming and going and still exploring nearby areas. So far though, it’s been about being around my sister and the kids and the routine has been a nice break.
I got away on Thursday the 17th for the day, spending a very cold day in the Joggins Nova Scotia area and along the fossil cliffs of Joggins. The wind was blowing and the beach along the ocean was covered in a thin coating of ice. I got some shots of the beach, the icicles hanging from the cliffs and some of an abandoned house with a bathtub on the front lawn.
As it looks now it seems that I’ll be able to make the ferry trip to Newfoundland after I leave Nova Scotia. I have plans to visit the Easternmost point in North America which is Cape Spear. Once I’ve experienced that, I can happily make my way back to BC, although I’m thinking that in order to completely claim this trip as a cross Canada I will have to find the Westernmost point as well, we’ll see.
That’s about it for now. Just wanted to update everyone and let you all know that this blog is far from dead, just a quiet holiday hiatus over Christmas. Soon I will be back on the road and I have a feeling I will have even more to say before I get home.
All the best to everyone over the holidays and may your time be spent with friends and family.
W
Implements of Yesterday
