Not Quite the Ides of June
It’s almost mid June now, which means it’s still light outside at 9:30pm here in Vancouver. That always freaks me out, no matter how often I see it. It should not be that light out that late.
It’s also Junuary — a local term meaning lots of cool weather and rain. I love it, but the locals have probably had more than enough, thank you very much. It does put a damper on outdoor exercise, sadly, but once we move and get settled into the new place I hope to start regular walks regardless of the weather. That should be doable, as there are hiking trails just a couple of blocks from the house. I just have to stop worrying about getting wet, and perhaps take off my glasses.
I have only a couple of topics to touch upon this week. I’ll put them in their own sections below
BC’s Top Doctor
Those not following BC’s situation regarding Covid-19 may not know that we have something of a local hero up here in BC. Our Provincial Health Officer is Dr. Bonnie Henry, and she has managed the outbreak with amazing effectiveness. She’s had great support from the Premier and the Minister of Health, both of whom have basically let her lead on all things Covid related. She has communicated effectively with everyone, and — most importantly — people really listen to her. She is really good at her job.
In the past week I’ve read two stories about her that are worth sharing:
There are several reasons why BC has done well in this crisis, but Dr. Bonnie Henry is definitely on the list. Many people in positions of authority could learn a thing or three from her if they wanted to.
More about the “Jones Theory”
Two weeks ago I shared this photo:
I theorized about what it might be, and I expanded on those possibilities last week. In short, I think it refers to the rolling stone from the intro to Raiders of the Lost Ark while others argue it refers to Rover from The Prisoner. Since then, a couple of other ideas have been sent my way:
- Anonymous Artist suggests it might be a “choose your own warning” symbol, or perhaps “a lengthy discussion on the circle of life with someone who is trying to avoid it.”
- Anonymous Vancouverite suggests it looks “like someone flinging a ball, hoop, or magic spell at the ‘camera’.”
New information has come to light, though, and it definitively proves this is a reference to Raiders.
I woke up Saturday morning with something niggling at my brain — the detritus of some otherwise unremembered dream. Whatever it was lead me to determine where that photo was taken. The file has EXIF data stored in it, and the cell phone I took the photo with had GPS turned on, so the location is available. Chasing it down lead to this:
The pin is very close to the location the photo was taken, though I was on the west (left) side of the street at the time. Most importantly, note the name of the street. I think that settles it, don’t you? For those who want to poke around in the area, here’s a link to that location in google maps.
I am glad to put this controversy to rest.
Packing Continues
Here’s what the studio looks like in the current place:
Sorry for the blurry photo — first time I’ve used panorama mode on my phone. As you can see, packing has come a long way. Most of that can be moved as is.
We’re actually hitting the point of diminishing returns on advance packing. There are some things that can still be packed this far before the move, but not all that much.
A Humour Break, Sort Of
A week or two ago a reader shared a link to a funny video relating to the pandemic. I liked it, but forgot to re-share it here. Now there is a second in the series, so you get them both. The second is a bit more topical and significant than the first, so watch them in order:
That’s it. Thanks for reading!