Elements

I must admit - I am not the kind of person that pays a lot of attention to weather (the day to day fluctuations) or discusses it often. I've never quite understood this courtesy of striking up a conversation about the weather. If anything, it says to me: "there is so bloody little to say or talk about, that we need to state the fact about the fact that the sun is out or that it snows in the winter". But being of this generation and culture, where environmental awareness is becoming an intrinsic part of our post-modernistic consciousness, I am becoming more appreciative of these weather curiosities and conversations...particularly of the oddities we are witness to as the earth starts to spin a slight skewed axes.

I must admit, I was surprised at receiving e-mails inquiring about the odd weather in Calgary. However, I suppose, snow in late spring is a bit of an oddity, so it will draw attention.
So, in response to a few e-mails - yes, we had an impressive snow fall at the end of May in Calgary and it was quite the site. Waking up to a world covered in snowy quiet, especially when the day before everybody was basking in the splendor of patio season (a great Canadian tradition), required a couple cups of coffee to register that yes, it's the end of May, and yes, this white is stuff is out of place! The budding flowers and new leaves full of bright greenness were covered in a thick, wet, white blanket. It wasn't powder snow, or flaky snow, it was the wet snow that is perfect for snowball fights or building snowmen.

I fondly recall the drama that would take place in the Toronto area when there was a snow fall...it would be mayhem. Here, there was no school closures, no significant increase in accidents on the Deerfoot (which is equivalent to the TO 401 or Ottawa 417) no major delays in traffic. Everybody just carried on, some shaking their heads in mild amusement. I was impressed with how quickly and seamlessly everything adjusted from spring blissfulness to a winter wonderland.

And then, just as quickly, it all flipped again and we are packing the winter boots and gloves and pulling out the flippers - sorry, flip flops! Truth be told, most Calgarians don't pack those too far away - I've seen these nutters walking around in them in the middle of February! Yes, it was a day when the Chinook cast its warm magical spell, but still, for someone from Ontario who is cold even when its warm, seeing bare feet next to a snow bank results in an involuntary double take!

Anyhow. To satisfy the curious minds of those who are impressively affected by earth's temperament:yes, the weather here is variable and it can change mighty fast (I am told it has to do with the mountains). You always dress in layers (just like in the mountains!). It snows in the winter, but also in the spring, fall and even summer...apparently it is common to get a snow day in June!!! Now that I will write home about:) Otherwise, it can be blistering hot, but then moment that sun sets its course behind those mountains, it gets very "fresh".

Otherwise, the only other thing I have really noticed in terms of the elements is that it is damn dry (especially after living in the sticky humidity of Ontario and Cambodia); you feel it everywhere when you are not used to it - in your lungs, skin, hair.

Alright - pictures would probably capture a snow fall in May more poetically, but there you have it - story of the elements.

Passing Gas

I recently moved to Calgary (aka Cow Town aka Boom Town aka Gold Rush aka Dallas of the North aka aka Foothills City and if you are lost, ask for the home of Da Flames) from Ontario (out here referred to as "the east").

I've been roaming around this city for the last 3 months, getting to know its pulse, its smells, its colours, its flavours. However, I wasn't quite feeling it. My senses were pleasantly surprised by some elements, but the undercurrent was not within my reach. And then I ended up at a dinner party. As we go around from person to person inquiring where we are from (a great Canadian custom since it is at the core of our identity that nobody is from where they actually are), I meet Scott. Scott just returned from traveling - so he has this lazy slash pleasantly crazed look in his eyes. I asked Scott what he was doing in Calgary - he leaned in and very earnestly responded "I'm passing gas". I blushed (not Scott, me). Oh...but really, what do you do?. 'No really', he kept on (earnstly) 'yes, I work in the oil and gas industry (stock market analyst of some sort)' he starts with bored matter of fact tone '...but really, I pass gas all day'. Nothing that a little Cuban Rum won't cure. But there it was - I felt a pulse....

So, I'm starting this blog because, well, I have this opportunity to spend sometime in Calgary and the Western end of this massive piece of land. When in Canada, most of my life I has been lived in Ontario and I have aquired a mildly "ontario-centric"perspective, particularly about regions of this country that are far away from Ontario. So this is a challenge to myself - to check out the sterotypes and to confirm or deny them; to bring out the undercurrent that exists here; to see how the landscape (human and otherwise) changes as the miles from the central pulse (that is Ontario, or rather Toronto) increase; to tap into those boring old questions of "what is Canadiana?".

In a city whose downtown is dominated by modern day momumental high rise structures that leave me with an impression of competing phalluses, a city in the midst of a gold rush, and a city whose culture is undeniable affected by the cowboy culture that is deeply entrenched here...I think the potential for adventure exists.