PROGRESS... (is the pole done yet?)

Moving on from last weeks post or not...  Because maybe 2 years just isn't really long enough to deal with a pole and so perhaps it deserves more attention.  This week I say, "long live the pole dance and all it can offer!"

This round is about "the pole" as a symbol of wood and the dance of progress around it.  Could a million dollars  be  enough to pay for a pole and all it offers?  After trying to deal with BC Hydro and TELUS I'd have to say "no", as in you couldn't pay me a million dollars to go through this again. 

The frustration of not being able to get a straight answer has been an adventure.  "What am I paying for?  Please break this down for me so I can understand how this could be remotely reasonable.",  actually flips to "Oh you, you're the crazy one to ask such questions?" Comic, right?

 To boot, you can be treated in a threatening manner (ie. pay or you get nothing), or condescending (ie. you are not going to get that information) or polite dismissal (ie. it's expensive to build in vancouver) -- like any of these are acceptable.  Ahhhh, the questions that continue to float in my head but I fear to verbalize because of response.  I think I'm going to watch a lot more David Chappelle and Comedians in Cars getting Coffee just to stay sane.

So get your coffee and let's celebrate some photos and time lapse videos showing things going on with the Octopus. Look closely you'll see some Big House changes as well as "the pole that will never make sense to me move, or not move, moving it here or moving it there ...." dance pole dance!!!    ( hoping you'll ending up in the right place and not with a neck injury -- that's happened to me before).

Here's where the awesome things happens for the Octopus...

Love the progress and these few photos that support the time lapse.  

Art -- to be boring?...or otherwise? that is the ?

All about a POLE -- yes a Hydro/Telus pole has taken 2 years (and continues) to address.  It's a situation created during the planning process requiring it be moved.  WWwwhhhhhaaaattt ?????  True my friend there is a story that goes with poles, or it least it does in Vancouver, BC (mind you heard I've heard it's not limited to this municipality).  I like to think of this situation as more of a gallery preparing for an exhibition (usually 2 years out in the planning) than a raising of a pole (aboriginal soulful process). 

I didn't even  know poles are jointly owned by BCH (BC Hydro) and Telus?  Ya I know right???  I've learnt way more about this than anyone should ever need to know.  Here's a question for your next dinner party conversation -- are BCH the top wires or bottom ones on the poles? ... is Telus a bottom or top?  hmmmm.  Don't worry we'll get there and you will be able to answer that after the carpaccio and before the tiramisu.

Here's another really good question.  Why does it take 2 years to get a pole moved 2 feet?  Keep in mind the Architect and Contractor did think WAY WAY ahead of the game let's get this ball rolling so we don't get stuck in a bureaucratic nightmare. Hahahaha so this is the expedited version? -- you gotta ask yourself right?  

Silly me thought the pole needed to be moved because it was obstructing the view.  The person(s) living in that unit would be looking directly into a pole was the thought and although I wasn't excited about the cost believed it to be a very considerate observation on somebody's part; that kind of thoughtfulness was not the case and I'm thinking now  "just a keep laughing until your head falls ".  The actual reason was because it would be too close to the garage and effected the required parking access.  Okay I think, swallow your silliness, that makes sense.  

This is the pole.

Nice pole right?  Nothing wrong with this pole but it has to move, so should be a no brainer right? O,h move a pole 2 feet = ok np.  Oh no, no, no ........ we don't want to make it too easy.  There must be designers involved; yes you heard it correctly these are corporate employees beyond the architect and the engineers that you, the property owner, have already paid!  But wait there's more!  It get's better,  the solution comes in with moving the pole to a completely illogical location.  The re-location decision is to move the pole to the other side of the garage and block the other parking spot that's required.  Perhaps, we have a situation of "too many cooks"???

This is what happens while you deal with the powers that be to come to a conclusion... (keep your eye on the pole -- this is what happens while the decision is being made.)

All the construction keeps going while the dance of a decision on the pole takes place.  It became very evident these players don't like to actually talk while dancing.

First we go to the left, then we go to the right, then we go from blocking one side of the garage, to blocking the other side of the garage and the dosey doe continues.  By the way, you don't even want to ask what these dudes are asking you to pay for the privilege of dancing with them. It's something stupid like a million dollars.  I just kept saying WHAT? (you know the way old people do when they can't hear).  I also kept asking and who are the neurosurgeons being paid to do this work?  (like a yenta hoping to match up a single niece). 

Reluctantly I'll admit, BCH came around (the jury is still out on Telus) and here's what came a few days ago.  Meanwhile the clock's still ticking for the cost of this dance.  Daily I'm growing to appreciate the saying "the road to hell was paved with good intentions".

note: where the Hydro lines go and who's on top and who's the bottom -- we're getting closer to the tiramisu now.

One of those neurosurgeons was smoking a doobie, slif, or whatever today's word is,  so just couldn't help altering the state of 4 of the shots to reflect the surrealist element of this dance. 

So, what do you think of the "new" pole?  The one that came full circle and finally ended up where it should have been in the first place? Ya, that one!!  True dat, I agree it kind of does look older than the old pole, but  "Power to the new".

PEOPLE, PLACES, THINGS.. and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2018 has arrived and my arms are wide and welcoming to the new!  In fact, that might just be my WORD for the year, "New"; new home, new accomplishments, new dance steps, new joyous moment, new floors (to dance on), new windows (to look through), new walls ( to touch) ... all with love and good intentions.  Wishing all the people, places and things in our lives to be directed with loving attitudes, desires and heartfelt progress.

New is a good word.  The feeling you get when a new thing comes your way, especially a gift, is warm and fills one with joy.  It's that feeling that I want to focus on.  This year there will be babies born and experiences a new, or even better, old ones looked at in a new way.  Let's turn the lens onto how life can be positive and loving.  Community comes from appreciating others, what others have to offer, then connecting them to others as well as how it works from a place of togetherness.  That is how amazing things are achieved.  

Looking to New: 

COMMUNITY -- ranting or conducting a public service announcement?

The other day I walked into one of my favourite community locals and the owner, who I've come to know fairly well, jokingly said "oh Mira's daily rant".  That was just after I asked where the 4 benches from the park had gone?  We used to have 8 in that public round about and now "poof" 4 are gone!  I have to laugh as what others call my ranting, even jokingly, I perceive as public service and community surveying;  a research project so to speak. (smile)  Hmmm, wonder how many others experience this too?

Well life beyond benches, or what the city / parks board refers to as "furniture", I find there are more things baffling my brain these days.  Heading over to the building site everyday I find my brain is full of questions, concerns,  intrigue and often joy.  For instance, take a look at this:

What does all that mean, right?  Infrastructure systems, that most people will never see yet take for granted on a daily basis.  I scratch my head in wonderment most of the time.  The concern  being that I'll have no idea where it all is when it's underground and operating at 100% efficiency.  Trying to stay positive when you're a solo show responsible for making decisions you're learning about on a daily basis requires you to stay strong and keep dancing.  

It's reassuring, like going to an excellent doctor, to have professionals like Marianne,  Reece, and their team members help you through the overall overwhelmingness as well as the day to day concerns.  Intuition is also a saviour and it doesn't hurt to do public/community surveys...(even if others  might think it's ranting).

Today there's also new posts for the BIG HOUSE and OCTOPUS (if you're interested to see how they're coming along)!!