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Cave of Forgotten Dreams
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Film
- Hits: 1868
Now the film is interesting, the artwork and the cave fantastic - but what makes this film unique, better than, say, the same sort of polished documentary that might be done by the National Geographic Channel, are the idiosyncratic experts, the intrusion into the documentary by the questions and comments of Herzog himself, the bringing of a Master Perfumer to sniff the rocks around Chauvet in the quest for other undiscovered caves, the failed efforts of an archeologist to persuade viewers that the throwing of the Atlatl could bring down a deer or a bison ("they must have been better at it..." chastises Herzog as the dart lands not far from the camera...).
Amusing, and - if you're into that sort of thing - very, very good.
Other related links of interest: Wiki on Venus Figurines, Wiki on Cave Painting, Wiki on Paleolithic Art, Paleolithic Flutes.
Sitka to Prince Rupert, Home
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
- Hits: 1836
And that's the vacation. Rain the entire ferry ride, finally clearing an hour before Prince Rupert. Customs, and a few days drive home to Calgary.
We stop and look for Opals again, collect more, we drive to Edmonton and visit family, then to Calgary.
The trip - too rushed, the daughter too young, and perhaps - almost certainly, in fact, this was the trip I was to make on my own - she was good company - family, the family that you create, always is, but for me this was a reconnaissance for another trip that will see me prospect the great white north and find, if not treasure, at least some small peace of mind and spirituality that's been desperately missing from my day to day life.
Sign Dining
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Link of the day
- Hits: 1659
A brilliant little article on the old school signs used by waiters in dining. Like a little primer to visiting another country - signs waiters used to use to communicate:
Link: Sign Dining Courtesy the NY Times
Interesting how the lexicon has changed - small hand signals to indicate texting, gone for a cigarette, losers - signs now have no subtlety and are easily intercepted by customers. But I've forwarded this to the staff and it will soon be fixed...
Drinks with staff
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
- Hits: 1976
This is a new thing, the drinks with staff, a weekly ritual. When I worked here before with Franco and G we never went for drinks, at the end of the shift everyone went their separate ways.
But since the girls have been hired, the waitresses and the salad chef, G and the nephew have found new reason to go for drinks, often not just every week but every night...
Sometimes I tag along. I've heard stories about these nights and I'm curious....
We gather at one of the local bars, we're in the NE of Calgary, the Hood, there are better bars for sure but for some reason they favour this. A dozen TV's show sports, MMA fights, the patrons are surly local drunks, more regular than us, I would, on my own, have never set foot in here but the staff like it, they're friendly with the owners and have acquired the dubious status of regulars.
On occasion they'll try another bar, it's the NE, they're all much the same, the VLT's, the smell of pot around the entrance and the drunken patrons starting surreal conversations about anything that crosses their addled brains...
The conversations are grueling. The rehashing of the nights events, the owner's tantrums, it's the group of soldiers that have survived, somehow and miraculously yet another siege, they never stray far from the restaurant, it's all we have in common.
The Nephew moans about his tips, he feels he doesn't get enough, the manager moans she's not appreciated, we complain in general about other less competent staff members not present,..
There are long pauses in which the conversation stalls, the Nephew and G work the waitresses, the manager, more "bump and grind" then flirtation, they laugh but there's suspicions of liaisons that transpire away from our prying eyes.
The bar closes and staff make their way to the Salad Girls apartment, she's wealthy, or her father is, this job is the "chore" she's expected to do, 20 hours a week, in return for her allowance. I've heard stories about this place, and now am awed, 2,000 square feet of condo on a single level overlooking the city, dirty laundry strewn from the front door to the balcony, there's the lavish expensive furnishings, a wrought iron wine holder that looks as if it could have been made in the third world, price: $1800 - note on price tag: "1 only", interspersed with the modern trash are the occasional treasures, a gold pocket watch, a pair of fine antique candlesticks, this condo, it's a page torn from a lifestyles magazine that illustrates what good living should be about.
The nights, here, they go on for ever, until the sun comes up and it's time to go back to work.
This job is their life.
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