The smooth-skinned and often rain-slicked Arbutus tree is only found on the salty, mist drenched coast of Vancouver Island and close surrounds. Growing nowhere else across Canada, its naked trunk is a specific marker in this unique biome.  Steller’s Jay, the mohawked goth relative of the Blue Jay, is the official bird of British Columbia. Their bright blue and grey heads are often seen foraging in my backyard, alongside red-breasted sapsuckers, hummingbirds, and many others I have yet to identify.  Sitka, spruce, cedar, and pine are four variations of the towering trees...…The smooth-skinned and often rain-slicked Arbutus tree is only found on the salty, mist drenched coast of Vancouver Island and close surrounds. Growing nowhere else across Canada, its naked trunk is a specific marker in this unique biome.  Steller’s Jay, the mohawked goth relative of the Blue Jay, is the official bird of British Columbia. Their bright blue and grey heads are often seen foraging in my backyard, alongside red-breasted sapsuckers, hummingbirds, and many others I have yet to identify.  Sitka, spruce, cedar, and pine are four variations of the towering trees...WW…

I’m turning 30. I’ve been looking for a good excuse to resurrect this blog for some time now, and this seems as good a reason as any. I understand that turning 30 means I should be deeply upset, spending many hours on contemplative introspection. But look, I have friends coming to visit, and I also understand there will be a lot of cake to get through, so. Priorities. At 15, I could not conceive of myself at 30 – in much the same way that I cannot currently conceive of myself at 60. Attempting to imagine what might change as your years on earth literally double is probably futile anyway....…I’m turning 30. I’ve been looking for a good excuse to resurrect this blog for some time now, and this seems as good a reason as any. I understand that turning 30 means I should be deeply upset, spending many hours on contemplative introspection. But look, I have friends coming to visit, and I also understand there will be a lot of cake to get through, so. Priorities. At 15, I could not conceive of myself at 30 – in much the same way that I cannot currently conceive of myself at 60. Attempting to imagine what might change as your years on earth literally double is probably futile anyway....WW…

Sorry to bother you, but I’d like to talk about something today. The Canadian Sorry. Canadians are subject to stereotypes like all other nations, often suffering them gladly. I have yet to see a backpacker appropriating any other country’s flag, which is an odd, but pleasant compliment.  However, our reputation for extreme politeness has led to a complete global misunderstanding of a unique linguistic habit: the Canadian Sorry. Image source: Hark, A Vagrant! The Canadian Sorry stands out as a rich point** in Canadian languaculture; it’s a global stereotype; most Canadians willingly...…Sorry to bother you, but I’d like to talk about something today. The Canadian Sorry. Canadians are subject to stereotypes like all other nations, often suffering them gladly. I have yet to see a backpacker appropriating any other country’s flag, which is an odd, but pleasant compliment.  However, our reputation for extreme politeness has led to a complete global misunderstanding of a unique linguistic habit: the Canadian Sorry. Image source: Hark, A Vagrant! The Canadian Sorry stands out as a rich point** in Canadian languaculture; it’s a global stereotype; most Canadians willingly...WW…