I was running late as I filled up my maroon red Nissan Pathfinder today, that I forgot this was the day that the B.C. Carbon tax increased. As my SUV took a generous drink of over 70 litres of fuel to quench its thirst from the fumes it had been crawling along on, I sprinted inside the small convenience store this @ShellStationsCa has. Inside, I picked up 2 packets of peanuts, & 2 1.5L bottles of cold water which gave me @airmiles_canada reward miles. In fact, that’s why I still go to Shell, it’s the only place in my area that I go to regularly where I can collect miles. And my @bcaarewards membership has the benefit of knocking a few cents off the per litre price of fuel, which probably offsets the increase in the carbon tax that happened today.
I don’t mind the tax. It does make me think about where I go, & how I get there. Last year, before I injured my feet, I actually did a lot more walking to the stores I do my grocery shopping at. I’d then cab home. And years ago, before a carbon tax ever existed, when I drove from home to work & back, I usually carpooled with several other people, picking them up along the way & bringing them home at the end of the day.
I miss that a lot actually, as it provided me with regular connections with others. I reflect back on that & I’m saddened that several of the people I picked up regularly are now gone: Rob Scharff, a @kwantlenu professor who lived in Vancouver when I did; & of course @deck.chief - Robert Kovacic.
For years Roberto & I worked at the @ksacouncil & then we took many fine art classes together at the @kpufinearts department. We often took many of the same classes, & when I moved to Surrey he & my then girlfriend @cutekoalaby Jessie often stayed at my place & I’d take us to & from campus together. I remember working late with them at school, or at my place - either painting, or editing photos in front of my living room TV, & one night, working on carving these little self portraits out of small plaster blocks in my garage. We’d often check out art galleries together, or head to different places all over Metro Vancouver to go on photo walks collecting memories I’ll never forget.
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