The No-Makeup Challenge

My very good friend tagged me in a Facebook post of hers yesterday called the No-Makeup Selfie. This has been circulating around Facebook prompting women to upload photos of themselves with a face free of makeup in honor of those battling cancer. Au Naturel. This seemed like perfect timing because exactly one day previous to this I considered opting out of getting a much needed coffee on my way home from driving my beau to work in the morning because I was completely makeup-less."No way can I be in public without makeup, that's just crazy."And then I thought about why I wear makeup in the first place.

I enjoy using makeup as a tool to create a look that I feel suites me and that look changes as I do. Although I'm sure few others would notice the subtle differences, I love looking back at pictures from past years and remembering how I chose to represent myself then. These changes embody some kind of progression. In a way it tracks my states of mind, my experiences, my evolution. I could look at an old photo of myself and tell just by my eyebrow shape what was happening in my life at that time. I carry a subjective interpretation of my current self plastered right on my face wherever I go. I've gotten so used to expressing myself through makeup that I almost forgot that I am still me without it. I should not be hesitant to uncover the canvas beneath because without the canvas...there would be nothing at all.

A shortened version of this narrative ran through my head after dismissing the idea of stopping for a coffee due to my lack of self expression painted on my face. In an instant it hit me that it is not a characteristic of mine to give a damn about the opinion of those who look at my face at 8 o'clock in the morning or any other time of day for that matter. I then proceeded to pull over in front of a coffee shop and get myself a coffee. That moment in time captured me perfectly, no need to hide it from anyone. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it shouldn't be a challenge to be in public without makeup. And it shouldn't be a challenge to post a photo of myself on Facebook without makeup. It's my face. That's it.

~K

EatWild BC

"I think we're going the wrong way..." I said to Alistair as we blasted down HWY 1 past Cache Creek towards Kamloops. We missed our turn off because an incessant urge to pee had overwhelmed me and all I could focus on was a faint outline of the Husky up in the distance exactly 1/2 a block after our turnoff. That one over-site cost us almost an hour of travel time on our journey to Singing Lands Ranch. Good thing the first lesson when we got there was orienteering...

EatWild BC, based out of Vancouver, offers a Hunter's Field Skills workshop to newer hunters wanting to gain basic knowledge about harvesting their own food. In signing up, Alistair and I had no previous experience hunting, just a fundamental want and need to become proficient in being able to provide for ourselves sustainably without relying on conventional farming methods. This weekend workshop was one of the highlights of our year and sent us home with a far clearer direction on how to get going with our goals towards becoming new hunters with ethical and safe practices.

Because I don't want to spoil the element of intrigue for what types of activities you will be involved in should you decide to go yourself I won't get into the details of the entire weekend. What I will tell you is that within minutes of getting there it feels like a group of old friends sharing stories and enjoying each others company. At some point I had completely forgotten that this was something I signed up and paid for rather than just a weekend away with friends. Everybody involved is so genuine, and so down to earth, that they feel like family right away. Imagine a huge dining room table surrounded with people sitting down for a meal. Shoulder to shoulder. A million different conversations weaving in and out and back and forth. Boisterous laughing and smiling faces. Mentors telling stories around the fire, captivating their pupils into the late hours of the evening.

What we took away was a real sense of commonality and comradery within the hunting community. These folks have been doing it the ethical way for a long time and they really took their time to try and enlighten us on the realities of what it means to be a hunter. Overall this experience was one I will keep with me for years to come and I appreciated every minute of it. My hope is that I too will be able to harvest my own food sustainably with as little environmental impact as possible. This really was the next step to achieving that goal.

A huge thank you to the Mentors: Dylan, Larri, Jeff, Rob - we hope to see you out there one day. Until then, happy hunting and Eat Wild!

Next up is the Hunter Certification Training Course (CORE) with EatWild! 

~K

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Photo taken by Dylan Eyers of EatWild

...birthday lament...

July 8th, 1964. It was a Wednesday.

I've wanted to write about her but it seems as though words are incapable of even beginning to scrape the surface of who she was and what she was to me. Writing her obituary and eulogy seemed less of a challenge somehow - the words chaotically scribbled on a page until the pieces came together in a poetic mess. I was still in shock then. The slow onset of reality over the past few months has been incomprehensible to say the least. But this is, in fact, the way of all things living. It is the natural cycle of our fragile existence. Death is the one condition on which we are given this life. It would be absurd to argue otherwise. Acknowledging this doesn't ease the relentless sting even by a fraction though does it...

To my closest ally, my sweetest friend. Happy Birthday.

~K

Human pestilence served sunny side up

Sometimes I am just not a morning person and today is one of those days. Don't talk to me, don't look at me. Just don't anything to me. It's not so bad when I'm alone because I'm allowed to gradually emerge from the fog without it effecting anyone. If you happen to interact with me on one of these days before that has occured...it's 100% you. Yes, you. Humans first thing in the morning suck even more than usual. Can I go live in the wilderness by myself yet?

The end.

~K

Be prepared.

Top 10 things I would take if I had to flee due to a sudden apocalyptic circumstance...

1.) Food/water

2.) Weapons/tools

3.) Clothing - this includes practical outerwear/footwear

4.) First aid kit/toiletries

5.) A backpack

6.) A reliable vehicle with a gas can/syphon hose

7.) Fire by means of matches/lighters etc

8.) A sleeping bag

9.) Sage the land-shark 

10.) A strong and capable man or woman (who has not already turned into a zombie)

Sage the land-shark

-K

Looks like this one is out - photo by Christian Kuntz 

As the silver drips from the lining...

Maybe there isn`t always a silver lining. Sometimes it`s just more authentic to drop the `everything happens for a reason` cliche and admit that nothing foreseeably good will come from a situation. Why must we falsely comfort ourselves in a time of grief by telling ourselves that through this happening we will emerge triumphant, stronger, distinguished, and that everything will be okay? Dive into your misery. Own the pain. Our whole world is built on hiding away all that causes discomfort. Out of sight out of mind. Bottle it up and keep it on a shelf behind your finest wine. It`s not that simple. It`s not always going to be alright. And you know what? That`s okay. That`s honest. And that`s life.

-K