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Posts Tagged ‘Mountain Equipment Co-Op’

I wanna be a camper

Posted in life or something like it, tagged , , , on April 28, 2011| 4 Comments »

Lately I’ve been pretty much obsessed with the idea of camping.

I used to camp more… but now I almost never do.

I have no time, too many responsibilities, but those are things I have control to manage, so I’ll just make some time and push some work aside.

Not only that, but I can forecast the need for a tent a few times this summer already as I’ll be DJing a couple weddings outside of the Capital region and I think tenting will be a good way to catch some ZzzzZzzzs after a night of the chicken dance.  Coral is off to Sasquatch with her girls… and somewhere in there, I plan to try and do a bike camping trip with Dave. Try an easy(ish) 2 day, 1 night hike trip, explore Bamfield, and also jettison off in the car for some Vancouver Island beach camping.

Long term… well there is camping in Hawaii on my to-do list.

I went to Capital Iron and Mountain Equipment co-op and looked at some tent ideas.  They have those big family dealio’s that maybe you remember from your childhood.

I don’t know if that is my style.  I kinda like these little 3-person tents like this Black Diamond or the Tarn 3.

I’ll need to research more about camping and hiking and hiking/camping to understand what the difference is in all these things.  But basically, I want something kinda compact if I go on a solo or bro adventure with Dave or my brother… but big enough if Coral and Madelyn and I need to do some camping.  Also, double as our shelter for if/when the earthquake comes.

If you are a modern day adventurer and have some insight into different tent ideas please do leave me a comment.  I am some-what price sensitive but will save and buy something more expensive if there is true value in it.

What sort of stuff do I NEED to camp, what kind of stuff is fun to bring?

Go with yourself.

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the incessant quest for identity

Posted in life or something like it, tagged , , , on May 11, 2010| Leave a Comment »

“the incessant quest for identity” – part of the mission statement for a magazine called Fear.less.

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I do like to punch up Seth Godin’s blog from time to time (who on the internet doesn’t?). Seth posts little bon mots and what nots of an inspirational nature.  Occasionally he collects them up into books to make a living (I bought one!).

He was taking about the magazine industry and how they; like everyone “old” media; is heading to dinosaur land.  All good stuff.  I read about the death of radio everyday… according to some “new media-ists” I should have been laid off like 600 times by now… so that’s great, every pay-cheque is a gift!

I checked out the micro-magazine, likely not my style but I really liked that line at the top, part of their mission statement talks about the fear of… the incessant quest for identity.

Incessant is a good word.  Without pause of stop.  To the point of annoyance.  Doesn’t that just sum it up?

***

My latest “identity”…. bicyclist… I don’t know how Dave does it.  Two days in and that seat hurts that delicate area between my balls and bum.

I guess I just got to push through that dip and get hard to it.  Seeing as I have no scooter anymore, its how I am getting to work.

I went to Mountain Equipment Co-op today to look at all the accoutrements, ugh… this is going to be another hobby to drain all my money.  So much fun stuff to buy that I will “need” for my commute.

Luckily I stayed focused and actually bought nothing… but mostly because my money is spoken for until I am out of debt. hmmm, but pay day is Friday….

Go with yourself.

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For 3 days // I’ve bathed in nothing but sweat

Posted in ...this is your father speaking, life or something like it, music, neat-O gang, tagged , , , , , , , on March 22, 2010| 4 Comments »

Walked into the Zone today.  Seeing as it was so nice and Coral and I didn’t have a chance to do our weekend hike.  On ym way in, i rocked my one armed backpack which is quickly becoming my second fave purchase (the hiking shoes being number 1!).

I using this backpack for all sorts of stuff, lunch kit seems to be the best use.  But it is also my handy dandy diaper bag when out with Madelyn.  Diaper bags are the most emasculating invention ever.  Its bad enough its a purse type bag.  If it were filled with gun powder and musket balls, then I could at least handle it… but then its filled with baby powder and diapers.  No fun central.

This handy little bag, way smaller, out of the way, frees my hands.  Plus I think it’ll be a godsend at the Sasquatch Festival this year (If I can get there!).

If there is one thing I hate, its being encumbered with stuff.  I want to be free.  The flip is, free equals cold, or hungry or thirsty.

This year, I’ll have a little pack, outta the way.  Next, I’ll need some hipster pants that let me zip off the legs during the day to make shorts, then at night, zip them back on.  Plus some sort of sweater that can be tucked into this pack and pulled out when I when Coral gets cold at night.

This year I applied for a proper media pass.  I hope to get a chance to record the shenanigans for a kickass podcast.  My little pack might be big enough for an audio recorder too.  I’ll let the photog haul around the visual apparatus.

With the laptop and the motor home, I can produce up a show every night for broadcast. Go technology!

***

Stone Temple Pilots s/t album cover

The Stone Temple Pilots record cover looks pretty groovy… man.

The new record is supposed to have a 60s vibe.  really?  I’d believe that.

We all go through a classic rock phase at some point, I am glad that Scott and the rest of the boys are going through theirs.

STP released their first new single since… 2003? on Friday night.  Pretty weird, but the stunt worked.  According Alan Cross over at Explore Music, the single was spun over 500 times in a 60 hour period across North America.  Not bad.

Now if you really want to dive into some syrupy, 60’s acid rock from California, get involved with this band, Best Coast.  The song “When I’m With You” is rad (scroll down to the bottom of the player).  “When I’m with you I have fun.”  Oh very lo-fi a dirty.  Looks like the jumping off point for this week’s mix.  Plus I’ll tuck into some “Best New” tracks and music from Pitchfork and a couple other faves.  We’ll see what plays out.  Its hard to say before I am in pajamas standing in front of the blinking lights of my rig.  I kinda want to play “Show My Ass” (MP3) but uh, yeah that might not be my style.   Coming at you tonight or tomorrow.

Go with yourself.

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everyone high-fiving everyone

Posted in life or something like it, music, tagged , , , , , , , on March 15, 2010| 15 Comments »

Coral and I went for a nice hike on Saturday before the rains came.  We headed up to Mount Doug park.  It was the first time in a long time that I went for anything that resembled a “proper” hike.  We had to trek over mud, across puddles, under felled trees and scramble up rocks.

We must have looked pretty comical.  I was wearing white hipster street shoes and and huffing and puffing away.  Coral and I didn’t want to carry anything, so we left the water bottle in the Jeep.  yeah, bad idea.

But in the end, we felt really good getting our  hearts pounding (and pounding and pounding) in our chests (and throats).  We’ve decided we like doing a nice walk that is more challenging than a stroll but not running around a track on pavement.  We’ll try it again and again till we get ‘er that we can easily trail-blaze to the top.  Then maybe run down!

I had to hit Mountain Equipment Co-op today and buy some shoes.  That was fun… I put on a pair trail running shoes and couldn’t believe my feet.  Years of hipster slip-ons and  Chucks had me thinking that feet were supposed to just hurt all the time.  This is like walking on angels.  A road made out of baby angels.  so soft.  I am going to DJ in these shoes.

My new shoes ::Vasque Light Trail Shoe

It was pretty scary going into MEC and seeing the wall of shoes (and really all the out door stuff).  Luckily there was another gentleman in the shoe area buying shoes and he seemed the hiker type.  When I was explaining to the clerk lady about my needs and weekend warriornessisms… the dude interjected and said, “buy these shoes.  I am actually here to buy my next pair of them because the first ones were so so so good.”  Thanks old teacher hiker guy at MEC!

We’re going to hike again mid week.  Tuesday its supposed to rain and I am meeting with an accountant anyways… but Wednesday onward looks spectacular to get outside.  Then I was telling Coral about how in my youth Bob and I used trail run all the time at Buntzen Lake.  Next time we’re in Coquitlam I’ll have to take her.  Maybe we’ll need to drag Vancityrockgirl as she likes the nature hikes too and its her neighbourhood!  When I’m rich I am going to move to Anmore or Belcarra.  As kids, we used to explore back up in that area a lot.  The best shape I was ever in my life was the summers when Bob and I would trail run in the hills at Buntzen (didn’t hurt that I was like 17 at the time!).

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What do you think of the name Ottoman Empire?

I’ve been thinking about a name or brand for DJing.  The easy answer is just to use my name.  People know it.  But boring (no offense Mom) and I wouldn’t mind splitting off from my radio DJ persona for the music I want to present and create as a DJ.  Sometimes I find when I DJ and people find out its ‘Jeremy Baker’ they get confused if I don’t lay down a Pearl Jam song and tell them the weather in the bar.  Weird, but true.

I like Orc as well but Coral was pretty meh on that.  I like Orc because its super nerdy and is short.

She sent me DJ Beatdown… but that sounds way to aggro for the chillwave/indie/classics that I normally lay down.   A spin on that that I like is Beatmonger.  Like a fishmonger, but of beats.  get it?

The other name I liked is National Sound Company because… well I love the National, so its like an homage to my favourite band.

Any thoughts you have are always appreciated.  I can use a name or maybe no name and keep trucking along under my actual name.  Whatever works I guess, just let it come naturally.

Go with yourself.

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