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Je me souviens

Well, maybe it is the holidays. Maybe its the fact that I just had dinner alone. Maybe it is because I am watching Virtual Users abandon with glee and spiteful disregard for my cheering them on. Whatever the case is, I do remember lots. I thought I would list a bunch of things I'd rather be doing today.

I'd like to walk in the rain in Vancouver. Yes, I know the few of you that read this page think I am crazy. But I kid you not. Try it out sometime. There is something remarkably refreshing, one would almost say a soul cleansing quality, to a walk in the rain in Vancouver. I think I've come up with more good ideas and made peace with more things walking in the rain all by myself than I have at any other venue. Granted, it isn't the easiest. But it is something that I do miss. And no amount of walking in the DC rain makes up for it. For one thing, rain is a rare thing here. Secondly, it pours like crazy when it does rain here. And I am not inspired by the rain here. No offense.

I'd like to spend time with my friends. Living so far away from the people that matter to me only makes me appreciate them more and wish that I had done so sooner. I called one of them an hour back; he was sitting down to Christmas supper at another friend's place. I miss those folks. I miss getting coffee at the Tim Hortons and sitting outside for an hour just catching up on our terrible jobs or the girl from the bar last week... or who's getting themselves condemned (my word for marriage) or what sort of cool car someone drove/saw the other day. I miss the crazy shopping with Liz. She'll say she wants to go to 20 shops in Metrotown... with a couple of hours of time from closing and I'll say no problem. Two hours later, we are still in shop number 3 and that too barely by the skin of our teeth. I'd like to go to the various clubs like the good old days when Ivan would empty at least a half bottle of cheap wine and Voja would tell stories about something or the other and Oz would smoke a pack of cigarettes (okay, lets skip the smoking bit) and I'd just listen to the stories in the parking lot before going anywhere. We'd end up standing in line somewhere, get in there, I'd go find a spot to watch people, watch my friends make absolute asses of themselves and then I'd drive the less than sober ones home.

I'd like to go back to the Okanagan. Sometime when its quiet and not crowded by the drunks. Actually, let me rephrase that. I'd like to get there before the drunks, enjoy it for a couple of days, then see the drunks over a summer long-weekend and then enjoy that as well. I'd like to drive on those roads in a car with a suspension that lets you push the speed limit and survive. I'd like to stop by the road-side fruit stands and get some fruits. I'd like to sit on the beach and read for hours on end. With some shade hopefully.

I can't believe I am going to say this, but I'd like to go back and do my support gig for a few days. Seriously. I would like to, for once, to go back and work once again with that set of super talented folks I worked with troubleshooting the craziest things they came up with. I loved the thrill of the challenge but mostly, I'd like to go back and see those folks in that building in that setting for a couple of days. One of them is no longer alive. I'd like to say thanks for all the help to him.

I'd like to do the grind again. I don't care in what weather. The rush of getting to the quarter markers and finally getting to the summit is something else. I'd also like to get a cup of coffee from the cafe at the top. And then maybe wander up there for a bit. I'd also like to hike up the Chief. And come back with nothing broken.

I would like to eat sushi in Vancouver again. Lots of it. Forgive me CITES, the conservation lobbies and what not. I know... eating tuna is bad for the fish stocks. But they are SO yummy. Lets ban bad fishing practices. But let me eat sushi. I'd like to eat at Samurai on Davie. I'd like to eat at Akira on Denman. And pretty much anywhere where the fare is not bad.

I'd like to go back to school. Not just to wander the UBC campus, but to actually learn and do something useful once again. To discover new things, new ways of thinking, new ideas, read new books, meet new people etc.

I'd like to go back and play on the Jagoffs softball team again. It was quite an interesting concept; lots of alcohol, softball games for the sake of fun... Kylee yelling random stuff... Jag being the affable captain and Krum being the only person on the team with a competitive vein.

I'd like to have unlimited access to the BBC on TV. Hell, I'd like to have a TV again. I miss the BBC. Thank God for the BBC. I'd also like to watch the CBC and see all the comic shows on them as well as the news.

I'd like to wander the world again, see Singapore, India, Scotland again. I'd also like to see new places; Germany (spending a few hours in Frankfurt am Main airport does not count), Japan, Cuba, Peru, South Africa, Kaliningrad...

I'd like to think that I will be home next Christmas. Who knows, maybe for good. And by George, I will be grateful.

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