John Waters - " Car Sick "

 I was a hitch hiker, and sometimes, out of necessity I still am. Of course growing up all through the 60s, this was big adventure, and simply the best way to get around.for a teenager or young adult, and a lot of us did it.

Over the years of thumbing a ride, I've been picked up by Stompin' Tom Conners, farmers, fishermen, professors, a pot smoking senior, who told me she had a twin growing out the side of her rib, and even a truck drivin' Russian who loved the snow, which I found real weird, because I've never been a fan of Canadian Winters.

Hitch hiking does two things; restores your faith in humanity, and can provide reasons for hating the human race.

 I've been yelled at, given the finger from car windows by old ladies, left on the side of the road in the wee dark hours of the cold mornings, by a neighbour who did give me rides, up until the light faded from the time change, in the late Fall into Winter. I think he thought because it was so dark, I'd never know it was him driving right by me. He was wrong, I knew exactly who it was, because he was the only one that went by at 5:30 a.m. in the morning. Having the loveliest wife, I hoped she found him possessing some better aspect of humanity about him, than what I did, after that demoralizing, and disdainful experience.

 I had a few meltdowns out on the country road, being exhausted, broker than broke, and disillusioned, but all in all, I have to say, my experiences were positive.

 I was grateful to have a good sense of humour, and to the folks that picked me up, some of them went out of their way. Many had picked me up on more than one occasion, and generally speaking, folks that gave me a ride, made me feel really good about human beings.

I have a very vivid memory after finally getting my car when I was attending University, and no longer had to hitch hike an hour and fifteen minutes each way, to and from school. I was heading back home after classes and stopped to pick up a hitch hiker, because I could hardly wait to find one to pick up that day. It was a pay back for all the times people had been kind enough to stop, and give me a lift. This elderly fellow looked homeless, down and out on his luck. He was carrying around his belongings in a green garbage bag. My thoughts wondered what his story was , and if he had a place to stay. He said he was going somewhere to try and find work. I suspected he had mental health, and maybe alcohol problems. Before I dropped him off, he asked if I had a smoke, or a few dollars. I told him I didn't smoke and I was broke, which I definitely was. It at least felt good to be able to give him a lift, but I felt sad that he was in such a circumstance. People don't hitch hike usually these days for the adventure any more. They mostly do it because they have to.

I heard John Waters interviewed today for the second time, with Jian Ghomeshi about his new book, Car Sick, that documented his experience of hitch hiking, and what he learned. He had some really insightful, funny things to say.

If I ever see John Waters on the road hitch hiking, I'll be sure to stop, and pick him up, as I am certain he will do the same for me.

School's Out On The Road

The last day of classes at Mount Allison were officially over on December 5th 2011. I still have a few loose ends to tie up and that's it for me. I am so looking forward to next term, my last before graduation.
Wow, the reality of my pending graduation and last term is beginning to seriously sink in. It's a wonderful, somewhat daunting reality and I'm certain when the end finally comes the experience will be very surreal to me.

There are several surreal moments in time that stand out for me, while attending the Fine Art program at Mount Allison. These moments in time covered the gambit from fantastic to freaky, frustrating, funny to plain silly. Suffice to say, certainly far from the bottom of the list, was stress. I admit I had a melt down or two out on my "highway of dreams".

There have been challenges that would perhaps boggle some folks minds. Frankly it boggles my mind, when I contemplate hitchhiking back and forth, from home to school and back home again, an hour and fifteen minutes away, for seven months. I did that. Some of these "rides" were like out of a page from a Stephen King novel. The very peculiar , 50 something woman, who picked me up at 9 o'clock in the morning. Considering I  grew up in the sixties, nothing quite prepared me for seeing her holding a joint in a long extended roach clip, asking if it would bother me if she lite this up. I thought, she must be smoking that rolled smoke in order to keep her fingers from getting brown with tobacco. I told her I was allergic, maybe she could put the window down, it was her car, so go ahead. At this point, I still hadn't clued in it was a doobie, until she stated she wouldn't light it up at the bridge where the road crew was working, because she was afraid someone would call the cops on her.

As we motored along, she eventually lite up and the familiar aroma reminiscent  of my fringe-hippie days gone by, wafted up my nostrils. I had a meeting that morning with my Professor. Then I thought, oh God, I am going to reek of dope and he is going to think I've been indulging. Fortunately she didn't smoke the whole thing and soon put it out, and I wasn't able to get to my appointment on time. On the way, she began to explain the details about how she was actually a twin, but her twin didn't survive and was some how, now growing out of her neck and her ribs. She then described how her ex-husband had abused her and caused her to loose the use of her eye. It was three weeks  she said, until she could get to a doctor, she would pop her eye in and out of it's socket and would wash her eyeball and pop in back in. Needless to say I was glad to get out of that car.

There are many lessons learned here and many weren't at University, they were, on the road.

"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow Roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars, and in the middle, you see the blue center-light pop, and everybody goes ahh..."

Jack Kerouac, On The Road

Colman Barks and Rumi

It is the end of my school week today. My week may have come to an end but it is just getting started actually, and I am looking forward to it. I have lots of blogging to catch up on, reading, homework and painting to do. I got a drive all the way to school this morning, and all the way home this afternoon. I'm still hitch hiking but this is soon to come to an end I hope! My student loan came in today, just when it was suppose to, which means a whole lot of changes shortly! I had a good week. I got moved into my new studio space which is awesome, to be in 4th year studio space, with a real good bunch of folks. I think it is going to be a lot of fun. So exciting fourth year! I saved a friend this week from pending death, from an oncoming car. Wow was I ever thankful I was able to do that! I hate to think about the possible outcome. I started my History of Film class which should be very interesting, as it involves looking at Japanese Film and it's culture. It's going to be a lot of work culminating in a research paper. I'm ready to take it on! A friend shared this video with me today and I wanted to post it. It was just what I needed, to finish off my school week. I love Rumi and I love Coleman Barks. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. Just a little treat for myself and I hope a treat for you.