A Simpler Life

I blame it on Laura Ingles Wilder. As a kid, and again as a young adult, I poured over her books about    Prairie life based in subsistence living. Something deep inside of me longed to have that kind of existence, where one's belongings could be carted up in a quest for a new life.

At that age, I didn't understand the political implications of invading the land of others. My ignorance allowed for childish romanticism. I loved the idea of baking daily bread, visiting over sponge cake, and gingham dresses. Those notions were soon forgotten as I became part of the working world where I made a salary that provided me with the trappings of modern life: clothing, things, car loans and travel.

But now, almost ironically, here I am, living on the prairies of Saskatchewan, once again imagining a simpler life. It started with some purging. I had way too much stuff in my closet. So once a month, I filled a bag to take to Goodwill. This went on for months until I managed to get my essential wardrobe small enough to fit into one check bag and a carry-on. I still have too much, but I allowed myself an extra allowance for Burning Man clothes.

Then, as I realized my life would be changing, I accepted that I might have to give up the homeowner lifestyle. It forced me to consider what bare essentials I would need if that were the case. As I thought about this I concluded that I can do without a lot and still be reasonably happy. Even without having to fully implement my musings about such a life, the excersize led me to yet another avenue of thought.

Up until this point I only thought of a simpler life in terms of possessions, but having less possessions wouldn't necessarily take the clutter out of my life. To really enjoy a simpler life, I would need to take out unnecessary pressure and stress that usually comes with a well paid job. I think of it as modified subsistence living.

I'll admit, that giving up the quest for a success is hard, especially for someone like me. I am driven with ambition to do more and always achieve. But, I managed to turn that notion on it's head, making my simpler life the new goal.

I can't say that I'm all in with this plan yet. There are still times when I want things I can do without. But I don't miss the pursuit of things or success. I don't need them the way I use to. In fact, my bare essentials list is changing.  I can get by with so much less as long as I have love and respect from friends and those I care about most.

Serendipity Is My Friend

When I was in grad school, we did a lot of work with the Franfurt School realists. These were a group of Marxist philosophers that included the likes of Hanna Arendt, Kant and Walter Benjamin. IMHO, they were a mournful lot. I don't mean to dismiss the value of their work, I get it now. They were crushed by the failure of a utopian promise when the nature of man could not produce Marx's ideal. So, yes, they were sorrowful for that lost hope, and it is reflective in their writings where everything sucks, and the intent of man has little more to offer than a puss filled blister.

The realists seemed to lament their loss on epic levels, wallowing in a living stasis of regret for allowing hope to even enter their minds. These were the underlying themes I perceived when reading their works.

I've known people who embrace this sort of sorrow. It's a deep dark wound that defines who they are. I've seen the self loathing that comes from daring to believe in an ideal that is actually an abstract, something that is only real in theory. The mourning spawned from that kind of realization can be all-consuming, and thus ultimately defining of a persons perspective. Any other expectation in life becomes suspect, and hope seems but a fanciful illusion. For me, it's not a preferred way to live.

I like to hope. I like to dream. I like to visualize ideals even if they don't come true. I do these things because they provide me with a path, a general direction showing me where I ultimately want to go. And, it may sound touchy-feely, but I think that daring to hope, dream and visualize are the things that lead to serendipity, because subconsciously I am looking for those opportunities, and will be drawn to them even if I don't recognize them at the time.

I entitled this post, Serendipity Is My Friend, because I needed a reminder of  why hope is such a big part of who I am.  By working out the role of hope in my own life, I can see how it leads to my paths of fancy. I've often marveled at the serendipitous phenomena in my life. It would be wise to remember the notions that lead me to those events.

Daring To Hope

I had a sorrowful day. It was preceded by a fretful night of dreams that woke me up screaming in one incidence and jolting straight up in another. After several hours of restless sleep, I finally gave into wakening but not real consciousness. For several hours I felt trapped somewhere between the terrors of my mind and my current self.

When I was finally fully awake, I felt wretched, like I had just failed miserably at something that was really important. And, although I couldn't fully remember my dreams, I guess, I knew deep down that that's what the dreams were about: failure.

As someone who was has been led by ambition for most of my adult life, it seemed that my ultimate fear has always been failure. It's what I dread. But, somehow, even when my endeavors didn't entirely work out, or when they reached an expiration date, I was always able to reemerge, a little stronger, a little wiser, and a little further along a path I had only secretly set out upon. I say secretly because these were desires I all but kept from even myself. They were things I scarcely dared to wish for, but knew I truly wanted, and often, always to my surprise, these secret wishes would come true.

I spent most of my sorrowful day in my flannel pajamas, trying to make sense of what had shaken me so badly. Unanswered questions left me confused until finally they were replaced with unrelenting tears. I just couldn't stop them from coming. I cried in mourning for something I had lost. Even when I could compose myself, I could still feel the loss like a gaping hole in my chest. It was physically painful to hold in the sobs, so I let myself cry some more. I cried almost all the tears I had.

I slept that night, and woke up feeling refreshed the next morning. I guess the sorrow just had to escape so real thought could tell me the answers I was looking for. It was like hearing my inner voice for the first time in a very great while. It seemed what I really lost, was myself, and that was the failure that haunted me the most.

Sometimes it's easy to forget what we are about, especially when we concede to the judgement of others. It's easy to become lost in that perceived version of who We are. But being lost has a benefit too. It reminds us to appreciate the familiar ground that is closer to a truer self, the self that dares to hope for secret dreams.

Saskatoon Mornings

It's dark when we get up. Pitch dark, as though it were much earlier than it really is. In Saskatoon the sun arrives a little later every day. Today's sunrise is said to be at 9:06, a time that will presumably increase until the solstice, and then gradually decrease as the phenomenon reverses itself. 

Getting going in the mornings isn't as hard here as one might think. Once you're awake it's best to get moving. Rebecca sometimes stirs when she sees me sitting on the edge of the bed, reaching for daily medications, but more often she stays on her warm spot atop the feather comforter. She only raises her head in anticipation when she sees me grab my Carhartt bibs. The overalls go over a layer of sweats or long underwear, which is paired with a t-shirt and pullover hoodie. Then come the SmartWool socks, -40 snow boots, a scarf and touque, all covered with a down filled parka and Thinsulate mits. This is all to take the dog out and start the car.

Rebecca, is anxious to get outside and wastes no time finding a new spot to yellow in the snow. If I have time, I take her for a quick trot to expel other business, otherwise I connect her to the lead attached to the porch. Rebecca loves the snow, her feet do not. It gets in the cracks between her paw pads causing her to limp on alternating feet. As soon as she's done, I scurry her back inside. 

Next comes the scraping. The car windows require scraping just about every morning. The process takes between 5 and 10 minutes. It's at this point that any exposed skin begins to sting from the extreem cold, which brings me to a key point. As long as you are covered, the cold isn't that bad here. It will freeze your skin given enough time, between 5 and 10 minutes depending on the wind chill, but the cold here doesn't get inside you. It's not like San Francisco where the chill resides under your skin. It's a very dry cold, one that must be respected.

Once the windows are scraped we are ready to go. The temp inside the car resembles a meat locker, despite the fact that it's been running for at least 10 minutes. I'm told to really warm up a car it takes about 30 minutes, but we don't have that kind of time. My mits stay on as we pull out onto the unplowed residential road. New snow actually makes the road easier to drive on, otherwise, it's essentially ice covered with a bit of loose snow. Pretty much everyone takes it slow on the slick roads, especially in the morning. 

As I join the procession that heads downtown I can't help but admire the resilience of the people who live here. Saskatooners love the outdoors, and even on cold, cold mornings it's not uncommon to see people walking to work, waiting at unsheltered bus stops or even riding winterized bicycles. In the afternoons scores of children play outside in the snow. Parks have both playgrounds and sledding mounds for their entertainment. School yards have ice rinks. Runners trot along trails with spiked shoes. Dogs wear special boots for extended play in the dog park. Life simply just thrives. In fact in a lot of ways it seems like Saskatoon comes alive in the winter and it's just beautiful to behold. 

Work

Work for me has always been a bit of a defining thing. When I was a kid, I couldn't wait to grow up and have a job. I just wanted to be responsible for something, and make things happen.

I got my first job the day after my 16th birthday. I worked in the kitchen of a small restaurant in Benicia, California, and it was there that I really learned to work. I was told things like "work smarter, not harder," and learned how to achieve high expectations. The work ethic I gained at that first job, has stayed with me through every job I've ever had.

The next major job was the Army. In the Army, I learned how to problem solve and how to think ahead. If anything ever fed my ambition it was the Army. I was constantly striving to achieve more. I loved it for that reason. It was a place where my desire to always do more was more than welcome.

After the Army, I had a string of jobs hardly worth mentioning. As rule though, I always made a point of learning something new be it software or a different way to accomplish tasks. Then in the year 2000, I started working in nonprofit. I had a great boss who was a wonderful mentor, and really loved the sense of mission that came with the work. I worked in the nonprofit sector for 11 years. I gave a lot, learned a lot, and often miss it a lot. Sometimes work that feels like a struggle can seem more meaningful, even if it does wear you out.

For the last three years, I've been consulting, mostly doing websites and social media integration. I like working with clients, but the need to constantly hustle for the next job can be overwhelming at times.  I will likely continue to do this sort of work as time and laws permit.

Coming to Canada is representative of a whole new life for me. I'm essentially starting over, and the concept bleeds over to my occupational life. I'm looking for work here, and am hopeful for a new job soon. But, what I really hope for the most is a life that doesn't leave me looking for gratification solely from what I do. I'd like to have a life that simply just makes me happy.

Fall in Saskatchewan

Fall in Saskatchewan is cold by California standards. Most mornings begin below freezing, and if the temperature does rise, the wind chill reminds you that something far colder is in store. 

My current locale is Saskatoon, and here,  everyone is preparing for the main event: Winter.

As a newcomer, I am woefully unprepared. I don't have the right clothes and footwear, although I do seem to have outerwear mostly covered. Even my car is unprepared for winter here. There's a requirement for special wiper fluid, special anti-freeze and winter tires that must be put on if I want to go anywhere once the white stuff comes in force.

To facilitate my winter readiness, a trip to Canadian Tire was in order. Canadian Tire is an interesting hybrid of automotive, home, and sporting goods. Kind of like Sears without the clothing lines, furniture and major appliances if that makes sense. It's a great store to get lost in. There are canoes, and kitchen appliances, and power tools, and big rubber bins and of course, tires.

The tire counter was busy, but it wasn't long before a slim young man helped us buy two winter tires for my car. I will still need to get steel rims for them, and have them installed but luckily I have an in for that part.

Besides the winter tires and all the special fluids, I will also have to get a chip in my windshield repaired before the extreme cold comes. Failure to do so could cause a failure of the windshield. And, to clean the windshield, I got a wooden ice and snow scraper. Apparently the plastic ones just shatter in the cold.

After our success at Canadian Tire, we headed to Timmy's. Timmy's is slang for Tim Horton donuts. If anything is ubiquitous in Canada it's Tim Hortons. They are in every shopping center, every neighborhood, every truck stop, just everywhere. Timmy's has good coffee, donuts, soup, sandwiches and bagels. There's also free wifi and at many locations a drive-through, not unlike many Starbuck's in the states. I am yet to enter a Tim Hortons that isn't busy.

In Saskatoon you can find a complete cross-section of the community within Timmy's: families, elderly couples, students, teenagers, professors, immigrants, farmers, and professionals. For this reason, and because they have donuts, Timmy's is one of my new favorite places to be. I especially like the Tim Bits, which is what they call donut holes, and yes, the pun is absolutely intended.

This morning I was met with a dusting of snow. There's no denying what is to come, but at least I'm starting to feel a little more ready than I was when I got here.

Cha-Cha-Changes

A lot has happened since I blogged last. Burning Man came and went. I went, as did my 18-year-old. He worked with us on the Gayte Crew and totally kicked ass. I was a very proud momma out on the playa this year. It started out as, "oh you're Clarity's son," and ended as "wow, you're Shirly's mom?" He made a name for himself, and it was awesome to watch.

After the Burn, we returned to California, Shirly returned to Japan for a while, and I started preparing for a new adventure: The Great White North (aka Canada). Yes, I'm attempting to "winter in Canada," and yes I know how absurd that sounds, but it's the only way I will know if I can really hack it.

Why Canada? That's another story entirely, but for all intents and purposes, I'm starting over, and attempting to do so in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, which is about 3 hours or so above the American border.

Getting there was a three-day adventure through Nevada, Idaho and Montana. I have a few regrets from the trip, like not stopping at the Potato Museum in Idaho, and not buying boots in Montana, but for the most part, the trip was smooth and uneventful. I narrowly missed hitting a coyote in lower Montana, and sadly injured a pheasant about 20 miles from the border.

The border was a bit of an ordeal. They let me in, but only after 2 and a half hours of interrogation and inspection. And there are conditions, and issues, and hoops. It suddenly became clear to me the irony of my current status as an immigrant given my family history and ethnic background.

But things are slowly falling into place. As usual, consulting work fell from the sky at just the right moment, so I'm busy, doing work and looking for work at the same time. Rebecca has succumbed to a new routine of walks and is warming up to her kennel for when I'm out of the house. And me, I'm traversing a new culture, with entirely new (to me) environmental requirements that include winter tires for my car, hats and gloves, wool socks and a new pair of boots ordered from the store I saw them at in Montana. It's an adventure. It's definitely an adventure.