Looking Up

Within thirty seconds of boarding my plane, I managed to piss off the flight attendant. My 45-pound carry-on luggage was too big to stow in the smaller-than-usual overhead compartment. The stern-looking lady was not amused. After a less-than-friendly exchange, she attempted to lift the bag—and failed. Eventually, she stashed it in a secret employee-only area. She was still not amused, but I had scored my first minor victory against Air Canada. Things were looking up.

Two hours and a bumpy landing later, I arrived in Halifornia (as a friend calls it). It seems Nova Scotia has refused to let the hot, sunny weather travel further east to Newfoundland and is keeping it to itself. The sun was out, there was no wind, and the sky was blue. Things were looking up.

I collected my rental vehicle. No U-Haul van this time around. In its place: a brand new Ford F-150 with a Star Trek–inspired dashboard, a glossy black exterior, and a booming sound system. Things were looking up.

A couple of months ago, I was here to film an event that was cancelled due to the death of a community member. We rescheduled the shoot for this coming weekend.

Well… that event has also been cancelled, due to the death of a community member.

Obviously a tragic circumstance, but also a remarkable continuation of my astonishing run of bad shoot luck.

I have a lot of respect for the way these communities handle the passing of a prominent member. The way people come together to honour them and provide for their family is something the rest of Canada could learn a lot from.

It is however, a bit of a pickle—but not one to worry about, or one that can’t be solved. My fantastic scientist character is already formulating solutions, and given my track record, not much surprises me.

Anyway, tomorrow I get to watch grass grow. Underwater.