Victoria – Bench by Bench

I find a secluded spot, almost out of the wind, with the sun shining on me. The ivy along the wall crowds in around me and I snuggle into it.

I watch the seagulls float, twist, dive-and rise again. Flying just for fun. I sit here just for fun.

Sometimes it almost feels like the bench shudders as a line of waves crashes against the shore. How can it shudder? It feels so permanent. Permanent in my short memory. I have been trying to think in geologic time. I can almost grasp decades-and centuries-reading about Victoria in 1860-just one-and-a-half centuries ago. To me, that is a long time.

But this rock that I see in the water-the waves covering it-then receding. What can it tell me of time passing? Time standing still. Just there, in one place. Solid. How long has it been there? Is that why we carve our epitaphs into stone-hoping for permanence. To solidify our fleeting lives?

What should my epitaph be? “She thought her life was so important. She spent all her time planning and scheduling. Wrapped up in the details. Wrapped so tightly that it always took a while to unwrap her, so that she could peer out and see something bigger than herself. And when she peered out, she didn’t understand what she saw.”

I guess that is kind of long. I’ll have to edit it down. “She always thought her life was so important. She’s gone now.”

While participating in the Open Gov Conference on November 10, 2010 at UVic, I was chatting with Chritopher Bower (http://www.conversationworks.ca What Went Well Today, Green Drinks Victoria). He asked me what went well for me today. Hmmm. Somehow in my answer, I mentioned my bench book (never missing a chance to self promote). He suggested that he would take a video of me talking about my book. Really? How am I going to connect “What Went Well Today” with the writing of my book?

As he showed me the way outdoors to a location he had selected, he gave me some ideas of what I could say. “How did you come to write the book? What do readers say about it?” Here is the result of his guiding words and my reflections.

The Outdoor Club of Victoria, quoting from their website, is  ”a club of like minded outdoor loving people. We offer members enjoyable and safe hiking trips and social occasions to get together.”

The Vancouver Island Trails Information Society is a non-profit society that has publishes hiking trail books, providing information  about parks and trails on Vancouver Island. They have published 3 books:

• Hiking Trails 1: Victoria and Vicinity
• Hiking Trails 2: South-Central Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands
• Hiking Trails 3: Norther Vancouver Island

My books have arrived and I am excited to share my creation with you. Please join me if you can on Wednesday, Nov. 3 from 7 to 10 P.M. at Cabin 12 (607 Pandora, across from the McPherson Theatre). There will be a $5.00 cover at the door for finger food. Beverages will be available for purchase.

At about 7:15 I will give a little talk about how I got to have a self-published book in my hands. Maybe it will inspire some of you to give form to the ideas swimming in your head.

So far the books are available at Munro’s on Government St., Russell Books on Fort,  the Overleaf Cafe-Bookshop on Pandora at Cook (Medical Arts Bldg), and Tanner’s in Sidney.

It is also available for sale for “Green dollars” through LETS – the Local Exchange Trading System (http://www.lets.victoria.bc.ca/)

I look forward to seeing you.

Rebecca

Please RSVP by commenting here or calling 250-508-2554.

One box of books has arrived in Victoria and should be in my hands on Sept. 30. The others will arrive on October 5th.

The Victoria-Bench by Bench books should be delivered here in Victoria, BC on September 29, 2010. Friesen’s Printing in Altona, Manitoba are experiencing a heavy workload in their plant. . .