13
Nov
In Da Hood…
Namaste! Sussrekall! Salaam!! Merhaba!! Bonjour!! And a big hug to you LoveyBeautifulPeople. Thank you for meeting me here, and reading my ramblings. I want to wish each of you Highest Blessings and sheer bliss, wherever you may be.
I am home. In Vancouver. In my Neighbourhood (picture above). I am veryvery fortunate to be here.
“Here” meaning here in Vancity.
My hood is often referred to as “Yaletown West” or “False Creek North” (because its across from “False Creek/Granville Island”). It is along the seawall.
I live in an apartment building that is filled with people. Mostly, the people in my hood are pretty fancy.
I am not so fancy. LOL!
I have a standard, tired saying, that “I feel safe where I live because I’m the scummiest person in my building” (and I secretly know I’m not “scummy”- so THAT means, if I am the WORST of the bunch, at least I know that’s a good thing? LOL!)
What I mean is I am the only person in my area in the Lamb of God hoodie. The REST of the neighbourhood is afraid of grrls who look like moi. LOL!
Do you watch NCIS tv show? Do you know the character, “Abby Sciuto” (played by Pauley Perrette? Abby is a “goth” grrl who happens to be a forensic scientist. Abby sleeps in a coffin. Abby is the sweetest loveydovey character!! Like the guru, Amma (the hugger), Abby is a real huggybear!
I LOVE HER! (And Amma, for that matter)
My point is, one can’t judge a book-by-its-cover.
And, even though some of the fancy people in my neighbourhood cross the street when they see me, or clutch their purses a little more tightly (true story) I feel like running up to them and hugging away their fears/judgement, and sharing with them my gum. Hahaha!
And, it is even a good lesson FOR ME in not judging THEM jus because I think they may be a little “elitest” or “rightwingconservative”.
Cuz what if they’re NOT?? And they just LOOK like they are????? I would feel bad if I was fearful of a person whom I deemed “mean/homophobic/racist/classist/sizeist/mean to babydogs/etc” and in actuality they weren’t.
Somebody might LOOK like they wouldn’t be cool, but they MIGHT be??? Right?
People are people.
Everybody’s got their own story. Their own struggles. Their own heartaches. Everyone. On the planet.
Everyone is somebody’s child. Om Nama Shivaya.
I like thinking this way because it is The Truth.
Besides, what if I could play some Lamb of Godsongs for someone who had never heard of them- and they became a FAN?!!!
Or an NCIS fan? Or an Amma devotee? Or EVEN a “BifNaked” fan??? LOL!
I love the challenge and the hope of it all.
I will invite the fancypeople over to our “dark” side, and perhaps they will discover that our side is actually where all the sunshine is. *beam*
Have a sunshiney lovey weekend, Everyone.
May you experience Freedom From Judgement and a sense of GREATSELFWORTH!!!!
Here’s to all the people in yer neighbourhood!
Let’s convert ‘em all!
Hare Lovey Om!
Love,
Biffy
Xo
November 13th, 2009 at 12:34 PM
Grate blog bif!! You make me laugh but I getcha and agree! I’m the huggiest person I kno, but noone thinks it! Run and hug em all! Ask if they wanna pet babydog!! Speaking of babydogs… My 12 yr old part shitzu part terrier decided she was dine having a sleepover at her cousins on the weekend, escaped and travelled 6 km home on her own. In the rain and wind. To wait for her momma(my mom). Babydogs have great perseverance! From one neighborhood to another!! Hey! “won’t ya be my neighbour” heehee
November 13th, 2009 at 12:37 PM
That is a really great way of looking at in… I never really believe the book cover saying until just this Monday when an ICP guy I meet really became a friend… now If You know ICP (Insane Clown Posse) you know that there music is most of the time Hateful and full of lyric telling there fans to not except any one but other ICP fans, well in my town Aberdeen SD that has started to become a problem. the ICP Kids have started to disrespect the Coffee House and others by steeling. Then this guy showed up and was completely different!
And sure I live in what I call the Ghetto of Aberdeen but it full of the nicest people around!
you have a nice weekend yourself luv.
November 13th, 2009 at 1:04 PM
Wonderful blog, as usual!
I bet if all those folks knew how nice you really are, they wouldn’t hold their purses so tight :)
Sometimes, if I think I looked intimidating to someone, I just smile at them. I smile my little kid dimply smile and the don’t seem so afraid anymore. I’m not very intimidating looking though, but once in awhile, when I’m wearing my black coat and my Misfits touque, I can look a little scary.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:42 PM
I love NCIS! Abby is one of my favorite characters, but I miss Kate… I wish she didn’t decide to leave the show :( And I am definitely a HUGE Bif Naked fan :) woot woot! I can’t wait to visit the beautiful city of Vancouver again. Fresh air pouring into my not-so-stuffed nostrils due to the rainforest atmosphere… mmm how I miss the moistness of the air and trees up there. If only it weren’t so expensive to live there :(
November 13th, 2009 at 4:21 PM
I <3 NCIS and Lamb of God!!!
November 13th, 2009 at 4:43 PM
Everything you say is ‘bang on’; except for Lamb of God; I tried to listen to them and I don’t like them ;) haha. Diff’rent strokes for diff’rent folks! Thanks to you though, I discovered Suksinder Shinda! :-D
Cheers! :)
November 13th, 2009 at 9:40 PM
Yeah, it’s funny how people judge other by the way they look.
It’s hard to describe why I like piercings, actually it’s not. I like piercings because of the rush of getting one. I also like my piercings because of the way they allow me to ‘customize’ my body.
I figure that while I’m alive I’m going to decorate my body the way I like, and if anyone has a problem with that, then they just have to wait until I’m dead and then they can dress and decorate my corpse to their little heart’s content.
It is funny though. I’ve been doing facial make-up and piercings for a while now. And every now and again I’ll catch little kids staring in that cute bemused manner that kids often do when they see something different. And it takes me a second to remember that I’ve got two different colours of eye shadow going and that I’ve got 13 piercings on my face. Bless their little hearts.
But, what I’ve also come to realize is that it takes a lot of courage to be different. There are so many people in the world that would love to be able to get piercings, wear make-up, or get tattoos but they’re so deathly terrified on the inside that they never do. And I feel sad for those people, because everyone should be able to be what they want to be.
But at the same time I don’t begrudge those people as there as also so many people in the world that truly ‘hate’ people who are ‘different’ that I can’t blame them for being afraid.
I know I was.
November 14th, 2009 at 3:22 AM
Right on! :)
November 14th, 2009 at 12:29 PM
If you live by the seawall, there are so many people who visit that area from the rest of the Lower Mainland, not to mention the rest of the world, I’m sure the people who live there are used to seeing all types and not phased by tattoos and a Lamb of God hoodie. It could just be in your head.
November 15th, 2009 at 11:02 PM
<3 It was such a nice thing to say "I feel like running up to them and hugging away their fears/judgement, and sharing with them my gum" :-D I wish more people were like that.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Wow , your words are so true and after meeting you yesterday at the salon make-up presentation I have to say the people you are talking of are truley missing out. You are so funny and kind and you have a quality that just inhales people . I did not realize what it was you do when I met you and I think I have been waiting for you. I was the girl who spoke yesterday about my lifelong struggle with addiction , about my son who during my pregnancy I exposed to my addiction ( I know that judgement feeling to well , external and internal) BUT life is good and I can now take my experience and try to help others. Which brings me to you , I have had a fantasy for a long time it is a concert here in Vancouver that host Canada artist known and up and coming . (Like liveaid) it would grow into something amazing and it would be called ROCK FOR RECOVERY and it would reach the people who are waiting for their chance to change too, Change comes from opportunity Bif, we the masses need to create opportunity. I never knew what to do with this fantasy, I just knew it felt sooo real. Heres to you , you are one of the beauitful people. Run with it. Love Marci
November 16th, 2009 at 3:53 PM
Hey Bif,
I am always inspired by your attitude and zeal for life, I normally don’t have a lot to say, but I love to listen! Your photo of your neighborhood is awesome. I love the sea wall. When ever I visit Van, I always go there to get my excersise – talk about amazing! I forget now is it 7 km if you do the whole loop? anyway that’s not important. It’s a fantastic place, I think you’re really blessed to live there.
November 23rd, 2009 at 2:08 PM
I know what you mean about judgemental people in Vancouver… I’m the most straight-edge, obey-the-law kind of person, but I look like a punk, and it scares the more genteel in our fair city.
Nevermind that I grew up in Shaughnessy and went to a private school. ;) But they don’t know that looking at me.
January 5th, 2010 at 7:39 PM
LOVED this post. Could relate a lot to it. I moved to Van 4 years ago from Hlfx and landed in Yaletown randomly, not even knowing how pretentious it can be. I love it, I feel safe, and my boston terrier lives for the beautiful parks in the area ; )