PSYCHOLOGY BUSKING a la wordswords: BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS: NOT WORTHY OR NOTE-WORTHY

BEST SKATES EVER!

I’d love to profess to be a non-nondescript nudnik, but I cannot, and this string-of-pictures blog entry presents my reasons why not. This string-of-pictures blog entry is not meant as an Aesopian ageist tale. Aside from my predilection for wearing work boots, blue jeans, and white shirts, this string-of-pictures very much represents my current 66 year old behind-the-camera behaviors, and assertion that age, being not only a chronicle of our seasons, is fundamentally, too, a behavior.) This string-of-pictures simply reflects what has been important for me these past couple weeks while I’ve been on holidays. (I did plan on a buskation to the Canadian Rockies but the forest fires are now blazing out of control. And I had half-heartedly planned a European to visit our youngest son, but he is packing up to move to Shanghai. Alas, until I go somewhere, I’m here in the Queen city, Regina, Canada, taking pictures and, of course, busking with my guitar and harmonica, or with my pencil and sketchpad.) From a buskeroo perspective, some of these pictures are note-worthy, while others, not so worthy, at least in the realm of busking. Even those pictures that are not worthy reveal my day-to-day indulges.

My title for this blog entry is from a quotation from Danish philosopher-theologian, Soren Kierkegaard, whose writings I studied in grad school.

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”

Regular readers know that along with time, the theme of hockey, too, continually orbulates this blog.

Not only do these (pictured above) CCM Tacks represent my imagined amaranthine alterity, these skates typically and unabashedly give me license to brag about my connections within the face-off circles of the Regina hockey community. For example, I often write about my best friend, NHL’er COLBY WILLIAMS, and my confidant and coffee mate, National Hockey League scout, BRAD HORNUNG, and more recently, retired NHL’er and current Western Hockey League scout, DREW CALLANDER.

My best friend, Colby Williams, who is now signed among the chosen 50 players with the Washington Capitals, sent me these CCM Tacks. Leaving my current position of employ, the Tacks were a good-bye gift. This is the second pair of skates given to me from Colby. Previously, he gave me his first issued skates from the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League. Colby was the team captain during his third and fourth seasons. (See my blog entry, COLBY SAVES CHRISTMAS: THE SILVER SKATES published December 21^st, 2014.) The first skates were WHL issue CCM CRAZY LIGHTS; these new skates are NHL CCM TACKS. WOOT!

COLD AS ICE

My penchant for the game has also been confirmed a few times by the fourth estate (Regina LEADER POST no less). I'm in my CCM Crazy Lights.

KYOMAN AND SELF

KYOMAN is the proprietor of the family run business, JEAN & TOP DESIGNERS (Regina, Canada). I am a regular and very happy customer.

YUNA'S FAMILY PORTRAIT

YUNA is Kyoman’s grand-daughter. YUNA IS AN ARTIST!

ROXANNE

I drew ROXANNE’S portrait, while set up next to her at the new CENTENNIAL MARKET in Regina. This new market is the perfect venue for portrait busking. Over the years I’ve set up in the wind and the rain at the downtown Farmers Market, but outdoor drawing in inclement weather sucks. Unless it’s a perfect Simpson cloudy and windless day, sketching portraits indoors is much better. Also at the Centennial Market I can come and go. At the Farmers Market, whether thrumming or drawing, I have to pay for the whole four-hour slot; therefore, feeling somewhat obligated to stay the entire time.

Factoid: At tops, either thrumming or drawing, I’m a ninety-minute busker. Four hours straight is too much.

ANOTHER GIFT!

Roxanne gave me with this chunk of jasper as a gift for drawing her portrait.

HANGING AT LAST

Finally, I’ve hung my picture of Marrakech Square on our condo wall!

SILA (AND MY PICTURE)

What are the odds of having a beer in one of only three pubs in all of Marrakech, and just happen to be sipping at the same perch, apparently, as the artist who painted this picture. Sila is holding my picture up for scrutiny; whereas, the real scene is in the backdrop.

Since my salad days as an English Literature undergrad, I’ve passed by this frog at the old university campus at least a thousand times.

It’s that tornado time of year again. I took this picture from my balcony.

Taken from the downtown Tim Hortons parking lot, what are the odds of seeing two accordion players squeezing tunes while prancing down a city sidewalk.

I’m trying to get my didge and guitar act going. I’m hoping that practice makes perfect.

GEESE GEESE GEESE

This picture is typical of Wascana Park.

One of the sights while riding my bike 'neath the Wascana waterfall.

SUNDOWN ON THE ALBERT STREET BRIDGE

Back to Kierkegaard … Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.

Looking backwards at these pictures, I certainly understand why in the moment I thought them significant enough to stop me (in my tracks).

My self-mand (and perhaps my mantra):

I shall endeavor to appreciate each moment that stops me today and every day hereafter!

Factoid: The problem with each present moment is that as soon as you blink, immediately that particular moment becomes part of your general past. Hmmm … time … the concept and puzzle of which is one of my recurrent themes.

Factoid: My first two blog posts (TIME: AN ESSAY ON THE HUMAN PERCEPTION OF TIME, March 20^th, 2010 and TIME AND TIME AGAIN: AN ESSAY ON TIME TRAVEL, March 31^st, 2010) seemed so important to express at the time they were written (pun intended); and though I've blinked many times since they were posted, the prompting of both have the fondest of memories. Both these posts were suggested to me by my close friend, Rick Steciuk, who is still an avid follower of this blog.

Factoid: And these posts, I believe, very much project my angst concerning the stopping or slowing of time. Being a projective psychologist, I have to admit that I, being 66 years of age, seemed to be quite concerned about my days left with the living, and that I unwittingly project my ageist angst time after time after time!

Marching in my CHAUCERIAN PARADE today include HUSAIN AND CURTIS, two of my favorite Regina musicians: