Saturday, August 14, 2004

"Fashion is the science of appearances, and it inspires one with the desire to seem rather than to be." ~~ Michel de Montaigne (1533 - 1592)

I am in the Bay, shopping for clothes and spending Visa's money. And I am wandering the lower floor alone, looking for the escalator, which is remarkably hidden for it's size. Through the women's wear, around a screaming baby, and I find myself passing through the cosmetics sections. I am immediately engulfed by the various aromas and fragrances, the smells all blending together to make one's eyes water.

Malls are interesting studies in humanity, complex and multi-layered. And as I pass through the cosemetics section, I cannot help but notice the saleswomen that mill about the polished glass and soft lights.

They are older, and that is what makes them fascinating. The young ones always look perfect, life has yet to wrinkle them. It is the older ladies, the late 40s and early 50s that cause me to think.

I don't know anything about makeup except this: It will enhance or it will hide. When women are girls, the makeup enhances, and it is rare to see a girl with 'overdone' makeup. But as age creeps up on this youth obsessed culture, we strive to look younger, hipper, cooler. And the women who work in cosmetics, as they age, become a postcard for lost youth.

The older cosmetic saleswoman is obviously wearing makeup and perfume. It wouldn't do to go without. But the makeup has made that leap from enhancing to hiding, and all too often the lady is layered up with excessive amounts of goo. Their hair is often bleached and cut in a youthful, yet shorter, manner. And they look somewhat tired by it all, as if they know deep inside that their youth is gone and will not be found in the bottom of a foreign-sounding makeup bottle.

And I wonder to myself what their little souls truly see in the morning mirror. Is it someone they wish to see, or does that makeup cover more than just the skin? It's all a little sad to me to see this, and I'm not sure why. Perhaps it is the inevitability of age and the unwillingness to accept it. The cosmetics department is not the only place one finds age avoidance, but it is a nice little lab for studying the issue. Is it so bad to have wrinkles? Don't wrinkles tell a good story, a story of a life lived, of laughs and tears? Don't wrinkles speak to a kind of acquired wisdom? So why then do we hide, run, from them as if they make us seem weaker?

That is about all I have for today. Be happy with yourself, it makes life's bumps a lot easier to handle.

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 12:23 PM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

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"Music is a discipline, and a mistress of order and good manners, she makes the people milder and gentler, more moral and more reasonable." ~~ Martin Luther(1483 - 1546)

Ahh yes, the blog has returned from it's well deserved vacation. Jasper to Banff to Fairmont to Calgary, it was a good trip. Did a lot of the touristy things, but it was nice to spend some alone time, some quality time, with the ever patient Megan. Isn't she great folks? Let's give her a hand....

1 week until I leave and I am about ready for this rollercoaster of emotion to be done with. I think too much, far too much. About the only things I have left to do is buy an eletricity converter and some travel insurance. Oh, and all the good byes. I hate good byes. Can't we just all say "Smell ya later" and be done with the emotion? I only wish.

So I have my big going away party tonight and I'm gonna tough it out, despite my sick, coughing state of germs. But I won't remember being sick in 10 years time. I will remember the party though, so onward.

I'm worried though. I went away for 5 days and I come back to the facts that Cadrin ended up buying a somewhat self-damaged car and Al fell off a ladder and messed up his shoulder. It's pretty obvious that these two will be either dead or massively in debt/jail within a month of me going overseas.

I'm trying to be funny but I'm feeling pretty blue right now. I'm gonna go out for a walk. Take care of each other.

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 9:29 AM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

shout out out out out out

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Sunday, August 08, 2004

Al's big birthday blowout. See pics below. Man I need sleep.....

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 1:58 AM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

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A whole keg? Just tap it to my veins!!!

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 12:56 AM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

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I may be balding, but I'm still surprised.

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 12:55 AM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

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This may be one of 'those' nights...

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 12:55 AM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

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Our mothers must be so proud. That guy on Al's left is a stud...

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Lindsay's pink shirt re-appears. Cross gets hot 'n' bothered...

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 12:52 AM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

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Look at my mighty farmer's tan.

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Performing keg surgery in the kitchen.

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This party is all I ever hoped for

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Man, I don't need Chantelle at all....

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The black sheep in the family? I think it's the guy in the seashell bra.

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 12:47 AM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

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Note the arrows. And the belly.

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 12:46 AM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

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No caption needed

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 12:44 AM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

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I am a man, no matter how many foaming drinks I down.

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This is gonna be snug

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Ewwww

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Daisy Duke and his brother

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Ah ya drunk, ya drunk, ya silly ole drunk, yer as drunk as drunk can be....

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 12:40 AM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

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Al on his back, like so many times before

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This one's for you Todd

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 12:39 AM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

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I love big Scots

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So this is what it feels like to be a Playboy bunny.

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This cardigan rules!

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 12:34 AM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

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